What God does with Ugly

Take A Good Look At  This Picture

That is an electric chair.

No matter where you stand for political views on execution, you have to admit, that this view is not pretty. It's not encouraging. It's not loving or inviting. You would never lie down before this.

You would never embrace that
You would never wear that on a necklace
You would never draw that in your notes

An electric chair is man's tool used for death, executing criminals who have committed unforgivable crimes. It is the most brutal, planned out, example of inhumanity.

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I have friends who have lost friends in this past month. I know some people who have lost children. I have seen family go bankrupt and on the streets. There are legitimate homeless people under each underpass. There is human trafficking everywhere. Some folks desire homosexuals to burn in hell. There are some people that have never known love. 

I, myself have literally lost every possession I owned at age twelve. And through identifying myself with the least of these, I can tell you that the world is a dark, ugly place. We have to go through some ugly trials, and sometimes we have no faith that we can make it. We are afraid to go through the fire because we think that we will get burned to death.

We forget that fire comes to refine us.

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This is the time of the year that we remember how much God truly loves us. And the funny thing about it is that as our love grows for Him, His love will stay the same. Infinite, everlasting, filling. These things are true. This year, I can testify about the beautiful love of Christ.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

On Easter, we focus on the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, which is a beautiful thing for the world, but a horrible thing to have to go through, witness, and partake in. Jesus Christ is set apart from the world. He did not sin ONCE. He was tempted as we are, but never failed. He was fully obedient, eventually leading Him to give His life as a ransom for many. His love is perfect. There is none like Him.

And the same ugly that we deal with, He has dealt with.  

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A cross, much like the one you are wearing right now, is exactly what that electric chair is. The only difference is that when it came to the cross, more inhumane acts came with it, such as a bloodbath beating beforehand. So let's put ourselves in this situation: we are taken to court for a crime that we did not commit, charged for murder, beaten for it, eventually our penalty for the crime is death, and hours before the actual execution we have to pick up our electric chair, hoist it on our backs, and walk all the way to wherever they do the execution to get executed.

Now put yourself in your own situation. 

There is something that you or somebody that you know are going through at this very moment. Maybe all odds are against you. Maybe you are financially unable to meet needs. Maybe you are just done with life. It could be anything, but everyone deals with something.

 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 

Whatever "ugly" situation you are going through, take heart, God can make the ugliest trial into a beautiful testimony.

 God planned for Jesus to come to earth, live a spot free life, and get executed for no earthly reason. He planned that ugly scene. He planned the torture. He planned death. For good.

And the same cross our Savior was executed on now hangs on our necks, because of what happened three days later 

 A beautiful exchange

SO, what man intended for evil, God intended for good. Due to the ugly cross that our Lord was crucified on, those who believe are now set free. Thanks to the resurrection of our Savior, we can live a new life, with a relationship with and a desire to please God, not the world.  

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As He carried the cross, bloody from head to toe,Jesus pushed. Jesus obeyed. And though the fire was set before His eyes, Jesus knew of a greater joy set before Him. He knew that momentary affliction and hurt would lead to God being glorified. 

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

Jesus looked past His trials and tribulation, because He knew the God works all things good for those who love Him, and with that on the forefront on His mind, the joy of worshiping His Father once more in heaven, he endured the UGLY, EXCRUTIATING, HIDEOUS CROSS. Jesus is telling us that WE can get through this. Not only that, but to look at our end goal, sitting down before the throne of God.

Take A Good Look At  This Picture

That is a cross.

This is beautiful. It's encouraging. It's  loving and inviting. We lie down before this.
We wear that on a necklace
We draw that in our notes
Embrace it.

It's used for death, executing criminals who have committed unforgivable crimes. It is the most brutal, planned, example of inhumanity. And God even used that for GOOD. He is making something beautiful our of your ugliest nightmare. I am proof of it.