Bible Society of South Africa

Living joyfully, powerfully and free – 30 April 2021

By Xanthe Hancox

Bible text(s)

20But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred faith. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21and keep yourselves in the love of God, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life.

Jude 1:20-21GNBOpen in Bible reader

We’ve spent the past month reflecting on living with the joy, power, and freedom that Easter brings us as Christians.

Though the effects of sin still harm and damage our world, we can live each day in the confidence and hope of knowing that God loves us and will never leave us. His love is perfect, true, and good. We continue to persevere through struggles and trials, leaning into God, growing in our relationship with him through the Holy Spirit, wrestling with the difficult tensions in the world, and letting God lead us by his love and his grace.

And even as we wait with expectancy and cry out for Christ to come again soon, we seek to live in all the joy, power, and freedom that the resurrection offers. The instructions Christ gave to those first witnesses remain the same for all who claim the resurrection today: “Go and tell the good news that Jesus is alive!” (see Matthew 28:7,19).

Remembering with joy that “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” let us give thanks and praise the Lord for all he has done: “To the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”

Prayer: Glorious, almighty God, we praise you for your victory over sin and death, and we thank you for your love. May we live each day in the joy, the power, and the freedom of Jesus’ resurrection. In his name, Amen

Bible Society of South Africav.4.21.9
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