Day 9 - Good Friday

Today I went to two Good Friday services.  I went to the one at my church and one at the church I work at.

My church had loud worship songs (good but loud) and a guest speaker - who used very little scripture, said some good things, but it was Good Friday, and very little scripture was read. Then after she spoke we took communion.  Again, it was done very quickly and I personally feel that the way we do communion any more leaves a lot to be desired.  When did it become this thing to be rushed and thrown in at the end?  When I was growing up, gosh I'm old, we had FULL communion services.  That read scripture and talked about what it was, what it meant and why it was important.  They stressed taking in the right mind set and coming to God to be cleansed before taking it.  ---- Yeah, that doesn't happen any more.  Now we can take it and it's just "this is my body broken for you, take eat in rememberance of me.  This is my blood that was shed for you do this in rememberance of me."  If you're lucky you get the "For as oft as you eat and drink...."

I'm getting off on a tangent, my apologies.

Ok so the worship, speaker and communion was started and finished in one hour at my church.  Which, left me spiritually hungry for more.

Onto the Orthodox service.  I missed the first few minutes because someone needed something, so I can't say how it began.  But for an hour and a half, there was scripture reading and prayer reading after scripture reading and prayer reading.  There was a brief spoken word on why they do what they do in the service.  For me to explain in detail the elaborate decor of the church and the tomb, cross, Christ icon etc would be challenging.  I'll give you a highlight that at one point they take Christ off the cross and wrap him/prepare him for burial.

 Out of the two services, I spiritually was blessed by both.  I'm not Orthodox, I can't participate in any sacraments in the Orthodox services, but anytime they have services like this, I want to be there.  There was something so calming and peaceful about it. I absorbed the scripture and entered the presence of God.

I worshipped God and entered His presence in my service during the "worship" time too, but all of the orthodox service is a time of worship.  I guess that's a big difference I see.  So much of our service is about watching someone say something and not getting to actively participate in worship to God.  

I feel like this year God is opening my eyes to His glory.  I even think that He's expanding my view through the Orthodox church and the church I attend both, which is pretty neat of God, I must say.

The past few days, when I've been praying, I have just felt so impressed to
1. Thank God for His sacrifice
and 2.  Ask Him to help me not waste my life.

After all, that's what this is all about.  Orthodox or not, being a Christian is knowing that Christ died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead. That HE LIVES!  CHRIST IS RISEN!  This is a time of celebration and a time of rejoicing, but I would say that if you don't do everything you know God wants you to do with your life, than you're not fully accepting His gift of life.  It's like saying "thanks for this shirt that I'll never wear" and setting it in a closet.  Do you have it?  Yes.  Are you thankful that it was bought for you?  Yes, but DO YOU USE IT?  Why was it given to you?  Was it given to you to take up space in your closet, or did the person want to see you using the gift and wearing?

Are we using the gift of life that God has graciously given us?  We shouldn't waste one minute of it.  So, my prayer is this:

GOD - THANK YOU.  Thank you for my life.  Please help me to have the courage not to waste it.