So in my early teenage years, I began to trust Jesus. I will be honest, I have been involved with churches since I was born – baptism, first holy communion, Sunday school, when I was about 9’ish. It took me until I was about 12 years old though to trust fully in Christ, and truly understand what Jesus did for me. He did not have to!
“Jesus died for me” is a core Christian belief meaning Jesus took the penalty for humanity’s sins upon himself, allowing believers to be forgiven, reconciled to God, and receive eternal life. It is seen as a substitutionary sacrifice—taking the place of sinners to offer them grace and new life.
- The Meaning of Sacrifice: According to Billy Graham, this phrase signifies that because humans are separated from God by sin, Jesus, being innocent, died in our place.
- Purpose: Jesus died to redeem individuals from sin’s debt, offering reconciliation with God.
- Biblical Foundation: This belief is rooted in scriptures like Romans 5:8, which states, “But God demonstrates His Own Love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.
- Response: The appropriate response is typically described as believing in this sacrifice and committing one’s life to Christ.
- Cultural Context: The sentiment is heavily featured in Christian music, including a song by Hank Williams and traditional hymns, which reflect on His death on the cross on a hill.
This act is understood as the ultimate demonstration of God’s Love, aimed at saving individuals from eternal separation.
I have shared my experience being bitten by a snake, having Christians walking by stop and pray; feeling a force on my leg and a fluid (not blood!) From where I was bitten. The fellowship services I was attending, Fellowship of Christian Students was doing a series on Romans. I can’t really explain it well, but something that was said clicked with me and I decided to trust Jesus totally then.
Has my life been perfect since then? No. Have I had my troubles? Yes, I have. That said there are many blessings in my life that have happened. I do resonate a lot with Psalm 88 right now which states:
O Lord, God of my salvation,
I cry out to you by day.
I come to you at night.
2 Now hear my prayer;
listen to my cry.
3 For my life is full of troubles,
and death draws near.
4 I am as good as dead,
like a strong man with no strength left.
5 They have left me among the dead,
and I lie like a corpse in a grave.
I am forgotten,
cut off from your care.
6 You have thrown me into the lowest pit,
into the darkest depths.
7 Your anger weighs me down;
with wave after wave you have engulfed me. Interlude
8 You have driven my friends away
by making me repulsive to them.
I am in a trap with no way of escape.
9 My eyes are blinded by my tears.
Each day I beg for your help, O Lord;
I lift my hands to you for mercy.
10 Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead?
Do the dead rise up and praise you? Interlude
11 Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love?
Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
12 Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds?
Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
13 O Lord, I cry out to you.
I will keep on pleading day by day.
14 O Lord, why do you reject me?
Why do you turn your face from me?
15 I have been sick and close to death since my youth.
I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.
16 Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me.
Your terrors have paralyzed me.
17 They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long.
They have engulfed me completely.
18 You have taken away my companions and loved ones.
Darkness is my closest friend.
As this is the one Psalm that does not change into something positive. And when you are depressed, it can be hard to see the light or the positive.
So what can one do if they are feeling depressed? I believe that the thing one should do, and what I have been doing is clinging to God’s truth.