Easter has always been a BIG DEAL for me. When I was little, and too young to understand the real significance of the day, Easter meant getting a new outfit and a break from the everyday routine. There was the traditional hunt for colored eggs, a breakfast of chocolate and jelly beans, going to church, followed by lunch at my Grandmother’s. The whole family would gather at her rambling country farm house, enjoy a luncheon spread of ham, potato salad, baked beans and pie, then spend the rest of the day flying kites in the pasture.
As a child I never thought about all of the behind the scenes work that Grandma did getting ready for Easter. The house was always clean, the sideboard loaded with a variety of freshly baked pies, and a big meal of delicious food made from scratch. She must have worked long hours in preparation.
I have hosted a number of Easter family gatherings and can certainly appreciate Grandma’s efforts. While my pies may not have been made from scratch as Grandma’s were, I always made sure the house was clean and tried to prepare enough food for whatever size crowd I was expecting. There was always an air of anticipation and growing excitement as the day drew closer, looking forward to the seeing the people who would be coming.
This year I will not be hosting a gathering with my biological family for the holiday but will be celebrating Easter with my brothers and sisters in Christ. And, as Grandma or anyone who hosts a family gathering would agree, the days leading up to Easter are filled with activity. Across the world, there is a flurry of activity as churches are being prepared for the celebration. Woodwork is polished and dusted, floors buffed, paint retouched, weeds pulled, flowers planted and weeds pulled. And, like any party held in one’s home, there is a growing anticipation and looking forward to the church family and guests who will be coming to the celebration.
Have a wonderful Easter. Color and hide those eggs. Nibble the ears off the chocolate bunnies for breakfast and feast with your family. Celebrate all of the Easter traditions but never lose sight of the true significance of the day. Resurrection Day, or Easter, is about more than chocolate and candy, family parties, or new clothes. It is the fulfillment of God’s promise to deliver mankind from the bondage of sin. Jesus’ resurrection, which we celebrate on Easter Sunday, is a forerunner of our own future resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:20 says that Jesus is the first-fruit of those who have fallen asleep. As He was resurrected, so can all who belong to Him look forward to our own resurrection someday.
In the days leading to Easter, many of us are cleaning out the cobwebs and dust and polishing our homes and churches to receive guests for this celebration. This is also an excellent time to do some spiritual housecleaning and receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior if you have never done so. Romans 10:9 says “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Without the cross and resurrection, Christmas would be a broken promise, but God has prepared a way for sinful man to be reconciled to Him through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Stop living your life by your own rules and embrace the richer, bigger, better life that Jesus paid for with His death.
cherylpickford 