At the end of your rope...

This Sunday is Resurrection Sunday.  Without a doubt it is "THE" most important day in the Christian faith; for without the Resurrection of Christ, our faith would be in vain. 

Oh how He suffered...how He agonized in the garden.  Beaten, mocked, whipped and nails piercing His body, He suffered in our place, for our sin.  But He is alive!  He is risen!  And this hope within us should emanate from the knowledge that our Savior has paid the price,  and eternal life awaits those of us who are saved by His mercy and grace. 

This is a most joyous day!  As we rejoice and thank Him for His unspeakable gift to us, we are aware all too well that we are still living in a world filled with heartache and trials. 

The past six months have been fraying to say the least. 
My husband has survived a stroke, life threatening carotid surgery and diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm just recently. I have held onto my Lord with all my might. 

​ When I felt as if my hands were slipping and I could not hold anymore, I prayed...
"Lord, I don't think I can hold on. . . I feel like I am at the end of my rope.  I need You to fill me with Your strength."   

Feeling completely drained and fighting discouragement, I knew He would allow me to face the next mountain in His strength.   I sought out His promises in His Word and hid them in my heart and mind.   "Lord, I am going to trust and walk forward knowing that You will give me what I need to face the road ahead." 

But God is SO faithful.  He will see us through the darkest moments.  
This past month I have received emails from so many with heart-wrenching stories;  husbands with addictions, loved one's with life-threatening illness, abandoned wives and wayward children. It is in these moments we hold on to HIS life saving rope. Together we move on and hold onto the life strengthening rope. 

Hold on..we cannot see what lies up ahead, but God knows where we are going.  
He hears your prayer when no words are spoken. 

... for my strength is made perfect in weakness... for when I am weak, then am I strong.  2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

May Resurrection Sunday fill you with hope and joy knowing that Christ is rope we cling to.  He is the anchor that holds. 
He is the strength at the end of the rope. 
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​My strength is found at the end of the rope.
My strength is found when my feet are at the edge of the cliff. 
My strength is found when I am in darkness and I cannot see the light. 
My strength is found when I look up from my grasp and see Christ reaching down to me. 

Though this life will bring dark clouds and storms,  this I pray, "Thy will be done." 
As Christ prayed in the darkness in the garden before His arrest, "Thy will be done." 

Prior to His crucifixion, Jesus prayed to His Father about the great trial He would soon be facing.  He was aware of the excruciating pain and suffering to come.  “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matthew 26:42, KJV).  Jesus would have preferred not to have suffered as He did,  but He yielded to God’s will.

Jesus was committed to fulfilling the will of His Father.  As Jesus stated, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34).

​As we hold onto His strength, we also can release all and say, "Thy will be done. " 
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Before writing this post, I received word that my older brother had suffered a heart attack.   Living far away and lives apart, he has never accepted Christ as his Savior.  As I wait to speak with him by phone, I pray for the opportunity to share the gospel message of salvation to him.   Without Christ there is no hope, there is no rope to cling to, there is no eternal home.  I pray that God will not let him leave this world without another opportunity to ask Christ for cleansing and forgiveness.   For Christ is his hope for a heavenly home and it is Christ that he must cling to.