Well, I tried this year, I really did. But it seems I'm not the only one who has a fondness for Easter candy. My sweet grand baby walked in with a bag full of jelly beans, gummy fruit bunnies and malted milk ball eggs. He dolled them out to grandpa and me, one by one.
But this holiday is nothing more than a Pagan celebration or economic stimulus with purchases of peeps and cadburry, unless I remember the real reason that I celebrate.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever living Head.
He lives to bless me with His love,
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.
He lives triumphant from the grave,
He lives eternally to save,
He lives all glorious in the sky,
He lives exalted there on high.
He lives to grant me rich supply,
He lives to guide me with His eye,
He lives to comfort me when faint,
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all blessings to impart.
He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly Friend,
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death:
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.
He lives, all glory to His Name!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same.
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives,
I know that my Redeemer lives!
Written by Samuel Medley in 1775. The possibility of leg amputation from a war wound led Samuel to pray, asking that he might keep his leg. The prayer was answered. Samuel dedicated his time to God and wrote a lot of hymns.
But the original author of the phrase was Job. The book of Job in the Bible is an interesting study of human nature all right. Job being 'righteous' meaning he really lived purposefully to do good, was the object of a discussion between God and Satan.
Essentially Satan trying to tell God His business, told God, 'sure Job is righteous you have blessed him beyond measure, why shouldn't he act holy?'. Satan said, 'let me mess him up a bit and then we'll see how he acts'.
Well, Satan squashed Job like a bug. Job was ruined to his inner man after a series of events leaving him face down in the dirt. But still Job endures and then his wife says, "curse God, and die".
Job answers, shakes the dust off so to speak, "You speak as one of the foolish speaks. Moreover, shall we receive good from God and shall not receive evil?"
Then Job's friends and not so much friends chime in and give their opinion.
Human nature revealed. It is more than a Bible story, 'the book comprises a didactic poem set in a prose frame and has been called "the most profound literary work of the entire Old Testament".The book and its numerous exegeses are attempts to address the problem of evil. The over-riding and oft-asked question manifestly revealed in the book of Job is, "Why do the righteous suffer?" ' just buzz on over to wiki for a quick dip: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Job
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
Job 19:25-27
