And On The Third Day, He Arose

     It's Easter Sunday, and the worship at church was beautiful. Not just the singing part, but the speaking part, and the praying part, as well. Our pastor preached about the resurrection and I was filled with inexpressible gratitude to the Savior Who died for me, but didn't stay dead.

     It's Easter, and I wore colorful clothes and high heels, and everybody was dressed up in ties and springy dresses. Why do we dress up on Easter? 

My friends asked me what I was doing today, but I said, "nothing" because we were just going home to eat dinner. We saw family last week and they're coming down here next month, so nobody came for this holiday. Why does everybody see family on Easter, anyway? 

     I don't know why I even wonder why; I know we do these things because it's a celebration, and you celebrate with other people. You wear nice clothes because it's a joyful holiday, you place lilies and tulips in the church because flowers represent life and beauty. But why do we celebrate? 

     Because we are filled with joy. 

     Because we have a living God. 

     Because we are forgiven from the sins that could cast us into hell forever, and we have no guilt in life, no fear in death, and this is the power of Christ in us. 

     Because Jesus came to earth as a baby, and we gave gifts in remembrance of Him several months ago. And, now, we sing praise to our Father, because He gave His Son as the Passover Lamb to be slain for our transgressions, and we sing praise to the Son because He gave Himself. 

     And, we celebrate because the Lamb died, but rose from the dead; he was buried, but rose from the grave. Death cannot contain the God of the heavens and the earth! By that death, we are alive. Through Jesus' pain, we are healed.

     It doesn't matter that I did "nothing" today, because it's nothing I do anyway that saved me. It's what He did. It doesn't matter how many chapters I read in my Bible, it doesn't matter how enthusiastically I sing worship songs, it doesn't matter how much I pray. I wouldn't do any of that if Jesus hadn't risen, anyway. I wouldn't have anything, but He was resurrected, and I have life. I have hope. I have joy. I have Him.

     We say, "He is risen!" on Easter and we are thankful to Jesus. But, I want to remember that He is risen and be thankful for His love and sacrifice every day. He is alive, and it's not just on Easter.

In Christ alone my hope is found,

He is my light, my strength, my song;

this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,

firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My Comforter, my All in All,

here in the love of Christ I stand.