Modesty: A Heart Issue

I felt like God has been putting modesty on my heart lately, not just for myself (that’s been an ongoing process for the last several years) but to write about.  Turn on the TV and you can see the different views of modest held by Christians.  There is a show where parents to children are concerned about modesty and run on the very conservative side.  Then there is a Christian TV actress has been quoted multiple times about wanting to show modesty and share her testimony, while being on a dancing show definitely not known for modesty.  My questions are these:

He is Risen!

He is risen indeed!  For Christians, we cannot have the crucifixion be the end of the story.  And it’s not!  Our Lord rose on the third day, appeared to many, told us to share the gospel, and then ascended into heaven.  He is alive!  And He will be back on Earth again someday!  Amen!!!

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Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.  So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”  So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.  Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.  And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.  Then the disciples went back to their homes. (John 20:1-10)

Good Friday – The Crucifixion

Instead of doing a homemaking post, I have decided to post scripture from when Jesus was delivered to the crowd until before he is resurrected.  I have tried to put together Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John into a cohesive story as best I can.

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Jesus answered [Pilate], “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”  (John 19:11)

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.  (Matthew 27:27-31)

Pilate: Choosing Inaction

This week is a glorious week for Christians for we celebrate everything that our lives revolve around.

Our crucified and risen Lord!

Our propitiation for our sins!

The new covenant!

For me, since I grew up in the church, I have heard about the saving of our sins since I was little.  I have heard the story told many times.  I have participated in choir programs that have told the story and worshiped our Lord.  But it never gets old.

Will we always understand?

I think that’s always the question I want answered every time I come up against something.

“Please let me understand, Lord!”  I cry.

But will we always understand why we go through trials?  Will we understand why bad things happen in our lives?

Our Response

I have found in almost all situations we are in that there are three stages.  First, there is whatever has happened.  Second, there is the initial gut reaction.  And then there is our response.

Our true response comes from the heart and it is what we are judged on:

If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?  Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?  (Proverbs 24:12)

This is why it is so important.  We have been talking about coming up against difficulties when we have felt that we are following God’s will.  First, we have the closed door or blocked path.  Then, we have the initial, “is this what I’m supposed to be doing?”  But the most important thing of all in this is our response.

So what should our response be?