It’s almost too familiar, the Easter story.
Jesus’ arrest, trial, scourging, crucifixion and resurrection. God’s remarkable story of redemption settles in our hearts, but we often lose the awe.
A perfect man, the Lord Jesus Christ, was wrongly accused by a group of people who felt threatened by Him. They conspired against Him and had Him beaten and executed.
Most Christians understand the spiritual implications of Jesus’ sacrifice, that He
- bore the weight of our cross,
- took our punishment, and
- paid the penalty for our sin.
But we often lose sight of what happened in the physical realm, that the beating Jesus received left Him bloody and unrecognizable.
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Spring has always been my favorite season. I like that although 50 degrees in the fall feels cold, in the spring it feels like a heat wave. And with the warmer air, there’s hope that winter is nearing its end.
Spring reminds me of new life—buds on the trees, flowers peeking through the ground, the subtle shift of everything turning from brown to green…
And the new life we have in Jesus Christ.
New life because Jesus took on our punishment, and through His death and resurrection, we are set free from sin.
For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.
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In this season of new life and celebration of the resurrected life I find myself not in a place of stillness but in a constant state of busyness. As the beauty of Spring blossoms around me I am forced to enjoy it mostly on the run, because although it beckons me to come, sit, and be still the seasons of my life and the seasons of nature and time are just not collaborating. As a mother I have two boys in the middle of baseball season, two younger children in the joys of gymnastics, and as a wife I am in the season of endurance as my husband started 40 days of overtime.
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Jesus… got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.–John 13:4-5
Am I willing?
Acts of service require that we get up from the table. Service begins with a willingness to stop and serve others.
Laying aside his garments…Jesus prepared to do the menial work of a servant, washing the feet of his disciples. As I read these words, the Holy Spirit quietly asks, “Are you willing to get up and lay aside in order to serve?”
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“They brought the donkey and the colt
and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.
Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road,
and others cut (palm) branches from the trees
and spread them on the road.
And the crowds that went before him and that followed him
were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
Matthew 21:7-9 ESV
He came as predicted. (Matthew 21:4-5)
And still they did not see. For their hopes were not set high enough.
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My husband and I have been trying to start being active again. When we started dating we were both avid gym goers, then life got in the way (as a lot of you can probably relate). We wanted to start hanging out more together but with work and home responsibilities… that became a bit difficult. So what did we decide to cut out in order to spend more time together? The gym. Although we wouldn’t change our dating history for anything, we are having some trouble getting back in the work out routine again.
So we are taking it slow. We have been going on walks mostly every night of the week together.
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When I was a little girl, Easter meant exactly 3 things to me.
- I would get to wear a pretty new dress that probably involved a very scratchy petticoat underneath.
- There would be a big basket of candy and colored Easter eggs hidden in one of the closets in our home.
- And Jesus was alive!
I am not sure what each of those things has to do with the other, but I would never turn down a chance for candy and new clothes. If we celebrated Jesus by munching on sweets and wearing some sparkly white gloves; that was perfectly fine with me.
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This past Sunday during our church’s little children’s moment, where the kids are invited to come up to the front to hear a word of encouragement from the speaker, my husband turned and whispered to me, “Isn’t it funny how their answer to every question is Jesus.” We both smiled.
Have you ever noticed that?
As a parent it can become frustrating as they get older. You hope that with time and maturity their answers will become a little deeper theologically, but as I get older I am returning to the foundation of my faith. To this one deep theological truth.
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