The chuppah (pronounced hoop-uh) is the canopy under which a Jewish wedding ceremony is performed. It symbolizes the home to be established by the bridegroom for his bride. For the Christian, the chuppah is "in the bosom of the Father" Himself where we as His bride are to abide in spirit even now. In John 14:2-3 Jesus refers to our bridal chamber in heaven as "my Father's house."


About Me

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MO, United States
I am PASSIONATE. I love to laugh and I can cry buckets. BUT I am not defined by my emotions. I love to SING. I have been singing most of my life. BUT I am not defined by my song. I am a TRAUMA SURVIVOR, BUT I am not defined by my pain. I am a WIFE. I am married to the love of my life, Paul, who is also my best friend. BUT I am not defined by my marriage. I am a MISSIONARY. I have also worked as a teacher, a children's minister, a nanny, and a personal care assistant, BUT I am not defined by what I do. I am FORGIVEN, ACCEPTED, CLEANSED, and REDEEMED by my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am the righteousness of God. I am His beloved. THIS defines me. THIS is who I am.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

To Barabbas With Love



For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9


A few weeks ago I watched The Passion of the Christ for the first time since I saw it in the theater. Ever since then I have been thinking about Barabbas. I can honestly say I have never given a whole lot of thought to his role in the crucifixion of Jesus. Sure, I knew he was the guy who was chosen to go free instead of Jesus, but just imagine being in his sandals…
A convicted murderer, he was just hours away from a sentence of capital punishment at the hands of a cruel and vicious Roman government. I can only imagine his astonishment when he was paraded out before the masses for a vote to determine who would go free. He must have figured there was NO WAY anyone would vote for him. He had been tried and convicted. Everyone KNEW he was a murderer, but no one could prove that this man called Jesus had committed any crime. Even the governor, Pontius Pilate, said he could find no fault in Jesus and recommended that he be released. Imagine Barabbas’s shock and dismay when the people began to shout his name, “Barabbas! Barabbas! Barabbas!” Then before he even had time to consider what this meant he was being unshackled and told he was free to go! WHAT?


Because of Jesus, on that day a guilty man sentenced to die for his crimes received the greatest gift ever given…the GIFT of LIFE. I can relate. Like Barabbas, I too have been found guilty and sentenced to die in my sin, forever separated from God. On that day over two thousand years ago Jesus took my punishment making it possible for me to be unshackled from sin and set free. His gift is still available to anyone willing to accept it. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Posted by Tara Denning at 11:16 AM 0 comments
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