Easter

It’s a beautiful thing, Easter. From such darkness and cold to a new beginning. A new chance. A new life. I don’t think we appreciate the meaning of Easter nearly enough. Of course, we know and believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that because of Him we have access to God and to heaven. But there’s so much more that I think we overlook. The “churchspeak” of Easter has become almost mundane, and I find myself this year really looking deeper into what this Easter Sunday really means. New Life. What does that mean? It’s represented in nature far better than most of us could ever explain. The leaves die and fall off the trees, leaving a skeleton of what was once beautiful. But even in the dark of autumn and winter, the beauty of the trees is not lost. The blazing colors of the changing leaves reminds me of the fires of hell that I belong in. But then the snow falls and leaves a blanket of pure spotless white over everything. The fire is quenched. The flames are gone. And we wait in that silence that only comes during winter for the promise of change. And then, it happens! Slowly at first, so that we barely recognize the small changes. And then one day, it seems, we wake up to find the world awash in a sea of tiny green leaves that seem to have appeared overnight. Our hearts leap because we have proof that spring is finally coming. What before was merely something we hoped would happen soon has finally become a reality. The blanket of white melts away, leaving new life blossoming everywhere; resurrecting a hope in us of newness and change. That, my friends, is what Jesus did for us. He covered the flames of hell with a spotless and pure covering and waited until it was time. Then, he rose and walked among his friends, who were so blind they didn’t recognize him at first. And then, suddenly, He was there. And there was new life. Hope. A promise.

~ by thedreamgiver on April 11, 2009.