(Original Post 3/21/2016 – Updated 3/29/2021)

Day 35!    How can we really be nearing the end of Lent already? It honestly feels like we’ve just begun, and yet it’s time to walk with Jesus into the last week of his life and ministry as a rabbi, teacher, scholar, son, brother and friend. At the end of this historical week in Jesus’ life, he will call together all of these other names and more inside the one that brings us into his story as he selflessly earns the name,

Savior.

That leaves me to wonder what Jesus must have been feeling those last five days on his epic journey through humanity.

Five days….

What was he thinking as he woke each morning and faced the days of lasts….last parables, last instructions, last walks to Jerusalem, last meals, last nights by the fire with his best friends, last laughs, last hugs, last conversations that lasted longer and longer into the night…

This plan – this unthinkable plan for God to become one of us in the person of Jesus is too amazing, too unfathomable to comprehend, yet here we are….reflecting on not only the life of Jesus, but the ultimate sacrifice he offered when he died in our place.  Emmanuel….God with us.  God ….with us!

I don’t know what the next few days will bring for us, but I pray we can stay focused just a bit longer – that we can fix our gaze on the one who came to redeem us and not look away when his suffering comes.  I feel like we owe him that, don’t you?

This beautiful melody by All Sons & Daughters sweetly reminds us that our strength and hope come from Emmanuel – our deliverer – our redeemer – our God with us…. <3

Grateful to be with you on the journey,

Shellie ♥

“God With Us”
All Sons & Daughters

Oh Emmanuel God with us

Our Deliverer
You are Savior
In Your presence
We find our strength
Over everything
Our redemption
God with us
You are God with us

You’ve come to be hope
To this world
For Your honor and name
You’ve come to take sin
To bear shame
And to conquer the grave

Oh Emmanuel, oh God with us

Our Deliverer
You are Savior
In Your presence
We find our strength
Over everything
Our redemption
God with us
You are God with us

You are here
You are holy
We are standing
In Your glory
[x4]

Our Deliverer
You are Savior
In Your presence
We find our strength
Over everything
Our redemption
God with us

Our Deliverer
You are Savior
In Your presence
We find our strength
Over everything
Our redemption
God with us
You are God with us
You are God with us
You are God with us