What is EASTER to me?
Is it chocolate bunnies and jelly beans?
It used to be.
To see the JOY on my children's faces,
as they followed the plastic EASTER egg trail to their baskets
that were filled with so much sugar
that the EASTER bunny brought.
I would do anything to see the JOY on my children's faces,
because that is what LOVE does.
As I look back
at the time when my heart
finally embraced the
LIFE CHANGING SIGNIFICANCE of EASTER.
I still had the bunny trail,
yet I had a dozen plastic easter eggs
that told the REAL EASTER story.
The best was the last egg that was empty,
that represented the GRAVE.
I don't know if my children remember the eggs,
but I do,
because that last egg is all I remember.
EMPTY.
It was the FULLEST of all.
Think about it.
Really think about it.
After the bloody mess on that "Good" Friday
JESUS was swaddled to be laid in a tomb.
JESUS who claimed to be the SAVIOR of the world,
appeared to be conquered.
TICK. TICK. TICK.
Three days the world stood silent.
I weep at the scene, as I think about how I would be if I lived back then.
What if I was a FOLLOWER of JESUS
and committed my life to HIM,
and then watched HIM become a prisoner on the CROSS.
I weep now, as my LOVE for JESUS is so deep.
I don't know who I would be today,
if I didn't FOLLOW JESUS.
I feel empty,
as I have lost much
because I do
FOLLOW JESUS.
But I feel so FULL,
because only JESUS can fill every space
in an empty heart.
For the GRAVE IS EMPTY.
The clothes left behind.
JESUS has RISEN.
IT IS FINISHED.
Nothing can be added. Nothing can be subtracted.
What if I was born way back then?
I would be
weeping by the grave,
because my JESUS was dead.
I would WAIT.
And WAIT.
And WAIT.
And oh how I would be
REJOICING when I saw that
the GRAVE was empty.
JESUS never lets anybody down.
For HE IS REAL.
HE is better than chocolate bunnies and jelly beans,
for HE IS FOREVER.
In those moments when
I can't see HIM
or feel HIM,
HE is the empty egg.
For HE IS a FAITH that
sees
beyond the
EMPTY GRAVE
in
BELIEF.
Do you need a RESURRECTION?
Close your eyes.
Picture the scene.
Dead on a cross.
Dead in a grave.
RISEN.
Pretty simple.
So as I asked myself the question,
"WHAT IS EASTER",
I realize that was the wrong question.
EASTER isn't a WHAT .
So I ask you,
WHO IS EASTER to you?
Do you have to see
HIS NAIL holes
in order to
BELIEVE?
Then ask HIM to show you,
like THOMAS had the courage to do so.
Because JESUS will answer you
and RISE in your HEART
filling you with
REAL LIFE
that is EVERLASTING.
Because
"HE LIVES"
(listen to the song below)