It's Easter Sunday, and I think we need to talk about this.
As I have been studying my bible, and reflecting on this story of Easter these past few days, God consistently reminds me of his amazing grace, and amazing power. I am in love with the story of Easter, because I am in love with Jesus. For non-believers, or luke-warm believers even, it's tempting to say that Easter is a good story, maybe even a little odd. A man dying and rising again to save us from our sins, which separate us from an unseen God? I get it. It sounds a little wacky. Which, I think, is what makes it all the more beautiful. Easter relies on Faith. Simple as that. While there are historic pieces of writing which document Jesus' death and appearance afterwards, it can be a little tough to wrap your head around. And I believe God intended it to be that way. It's a demonstration of power, the likes of which we have never seen. The Lord longs for our hearts to trust Him as children do (Matthew 28:3). The Lord longs for us to read His word, meditate our hearts on it, and rely on faith for that which our human brains cannot quite comprehend. The Lord Jesus died for our sins, and He longs for you to believe that. But it gets more beautiful - though the story of Easter relies on faith, God does not leave us to find this faith for ourselves. Instead, Jesus lies it out perfectly through His lifetime. Through His miracles and teachings, Jesus demonstrates his power, and His credibility. What He says comes to pass always - we have a foundation on which to take Him at His word. Not to mention the Lord God has shared with us the entirety of the teachings of the Old Testament, all of which lead to Jesus (Luke 24:25-27). God does not leave us to fend for ourselves. We have His teachings, and we have His spirit living within us. The more time we spend in our bibles and in prayer, the more He reveals to us the true magnitude of the beauty of Easter. But here's what really gets me - Easter is the culimination of our Faith, correct? The entire old testament, all of the gospels - everything leads up to this moment when Jesus, because of His love for us, defeats sin and conquers worldly death. It's what they (and we) had all been waiting for - perhaps the most selfless act of love and sacrifice, one which altered the course of our History, and literally allows us to spend eternity with the Father (Ephesians 1:7), but it's, what... 2 pages? Of the entire bible, the holy crucifiction and resurrection is just the short little blurb at the end of the gospels. What a beautiful act of humility - one in which God places the emphasis on supporting His claims through stories of good works and teachings, so we need not much more for Easter. This was Jesus' purpose on Earth, the one which the ENTIRE bible leads up to, and just like that, it's over. He gave us no more than what is necessary, so that our hearts could learn to take what He has aleady given us and trust Him more. (also, shout out to God for using women in His great purposes (Luke 24:1-3)! They were the first ones to find the empty tomb, an act that completely defies cultural norms, and represents the inclusion God has for women in the church. They came to honor Him, and through that all women were honored in return.) Here's the thing: if you do not believe in Jesus, or His mighty works and love, Easter is not going to blow you away. But if you do, it should. The one true God came to earth, lived a sinless life, yet was pierced for OUR transgressions, so we may spend eternity with our Heavenly Father (Isaiah 53:5). The wages of sin is death, the bible is clear about that. Jesus paid that price for us. And that is amazing. So let's not take this for granted. Let's spend more time in His word, reading what He has to say, listening as He speaks to our hearts. Let's not get caught up in the tradition of Easter that we forget the beauty of it. Easter is a beautiful time - one full of grace and mercy, as well as love and power. For the sacrifice we honor today, let us all be consistently grateful.
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AuthorHello! I'm Becca -humanitarian, caffeine addict, lover of books, people, and all things Jesus. You can find me in my pajamas, day dreaming about rainy days and saving the world. Archives
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