Buona Pasqua

We are hanging out at my mom's this afternoon. Enjoying a beautiful spring day in fellowship with family. My mom shared the following passage that she wrote to give to family and friends for Easter. It moved me and I hope it moves you.

Happy Easter.

God’s Gift

God created humanity for a LOVE RELATIONSHIP with himself.

He gave us FREEDOM OF CHOICE because love is only love if it is freely chosen. 

Our choice has always been GOD or NOT GOD.

But, we are SELF-CENTERED by nature and quest mostly for things that gratify self.

We do this so much that we EXCLUDE RELATIONSHIP with

the very God who created us.

But, God loved us so much that HE CAME IN PERSON to draw us back to himself.

He came as JESUS to cover our selfishness even while we were still selfish.

He made a way to RESTORE relationship.

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross REDEEMED RELATIONSHIP FOR ALL

 - for everyone who will receive it

 - for all time!

We have only to CLAIM it.  To thank God for loving us so much that he came for us and to CHOOSE

 the love he offers.

The promise for those who choose is relationship FOREVER with God.

To not choose – to quest only for SELF and the fleeting things of this world – is to REJECT GOD – to 

choose to live forever WITHOUT Him.

We are SPIRIT BEINGS.  Once created, our spirits live FOREVER.

–        Either with God or without Him.

To live forever with God is JOY.  To live forever without him is TORMENT.

When we die our spirits will be with God or without him - FOREVER.

* * * * * * * * * * *

My Dear Friend, I pray that you see how much God loves you … He has been waiting YOUR WHOLE LIFE for you to see it, sustaining you, providing for you, desiring you to come to him before your time of choosing (this earthly life) is over.

All it takes is a quiet, heartfelt prayer receiving Jesus as God’s way

 for you to have relationship with him.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,

That whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him.

- John 3:16-17