Easter was different when I still had three children at home. The days leading up to Easter Sunday were often filled with shopping for Easter clothes, putting baskets together, and planning for an egg hunt. The Saturday before Easter was almost routine: several hours early in the day spent fighting the crowds because one child still needed Easter shoes, rushing home to boil eggs, making sure we spent “family time” coloring the eggs before baths and bed, putting baskets together after the children were in bed, AND writing clues because locating baskets on Sunday morning was a scavenger hunt at our house!
No wonder that during those years, Easter to me was often just another holiday. Yes, I attended Easter services and knew the scriptures and the words, but seldom did I intentionally take the time to really think on it or allow it to impact me.
As I think on Easter today so many thoughts flood my mind, and they are not about clothing, eggs, or baskets. These things are all fine. I just colored eggs with two of my grandchildren last Sunday, and we spent most of the day Monday hiding them. But today my thoughts center on Jesus and His work on the cross.
I’ve had a few years now of “intentionality” toward this season. Time to select a focus for my attentions during lent and Holy Week whether it be reading the Crucifixion passages from each of the four gospels, reading the same passages in different Bible versions, giving up something for lent, or reading through a “40 days book” with my husband. And all I can say right now is, “I still can’t wrap my mind around it all.” The love and obedience of Jesus. The Crucifixion. The Resurrection. His grace for me.
The reality of Easter: The resurrection changes EVERYTHING! Christ risen, death defeated, sins forgiven, grace flowing down. Oh, I pray, that I would have Spiritual eyes and heart to see Easter for the earth-shaking, mind-blowing, life-altering, cosmos-shattering event that it truly is. And I pray the same for you.
Here are a couple of my favorite videos for this season. Enjoy as you take a few moments to reflect!
It’s Friday… But Sunday’s a Coming http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YByT6wfdhJs
Easter Version of “Hallelujah” http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=0E02FMNU
