"It's Alright Now"

  Recently Kyrie got some music that we used to listen to as a family when we were kids.  The singers, Harvest, made up a contemporary Christian group from the late seventies to early nineties.  It has been so wonderful to hear those dear songs again and, more importantly, to actually understand the words!  Before, I listened to them as a kid and sang along with some of the words, but now they actually mean something to me in my relationship with Christ Jesus.


  This morning as I was working alone in the kitchen Kyrie had put on the music and I was struck by the words to their song "It's Alright Now".


 "I remember the times I felt Your hand upon me, Lord
  I thought that I would never rise again
  For Your Spirit had broken the pride in my heart
  I knew that I needed to make a new start
  I wanted to feel Your love and know You cared

  So I fell upon my knees and prayed, "Forgive me, Lord.
  For livin' my life without You everyday."
  Then I felt like somethin' within me had died.
  When I raised my head I saw a new light.
  I heard what sounded like a voice from heaven say.

Chorus.
  It's alright now.  It's alright now.
  There's nothin' to fear from Me, my friend.
  I'm saying it's alright now."


  There is more to the song, but hearing those words again, touched my heart and I started to cry.  How tenderly the Lord has led me.  No human relationship can compare to that between the Lord and His people.
 
  Perhaps you are one who has felt you "needed to make a new start", too.  Through Jesus Christ we can.  It's not "turning over a new leaf" or trying to do better.  It's realizing our helplessness and admitting to the Lord that, without Him, we are guilty and worthy of punishment.  Jesus Christ, God's Perfect, Sinless Son, came to this earth and took the punishment for the sins of mankind.  Although it seems hard to fathom that one would do this for us who are so undeserving, He did.  He died on a horrible Roman cross, was forsaken by God, and felt His wrath, all because of love for us!  The exciting news is that, unlike any other, He raised Himself back to life again!  Then He went back to Heaven to His Father.  And there He is now, alive and willing to forgive and receive anyone who will come to Him for forgiveness and adoption.  When He forgives a person, He gives a radically new, wonderful hope unlike any other.  Life may not be perfect following Him; in fact, it may be downright difficult, but knowing He is always near makes life worth living.  And then, like the songwriters, you can say personally that in your heart you hear His voice saying to you, "It's alright now."