On the original Easter morning, around 2000 years or so ago, a group of friends woke up feeling hopeless, isolated and fearing for their lives.
They had stood by as their best friend, an innocent Man, had been put through an unfair trial, beaten and broken, then sentenced to a brutal death. A Man who they had given their lives up for and had spent 3 years following around Israel. They watched Him travel from city to city, caring for the poor, preaching about love and forgiveness, teaching young and old with parables and performing miracles that were beyond belief. Turning water into wine, multiplying loaves and fishes, calming the storm, walking on water, healing incurable diseases and even raising people from the dead. They saw it all and more. Enough to write 4 books about actually.
And it was all stripped away from them in a day. Can you imagine how heavy their hearts would have been that Easter morning? The guilt they felt knowing that after everything they had seen with their own eyes, they still abandoned Him at His final hour.
In the midst of their grieving they woke up that first Easter morning to find His body missing from the tomb. Fearing for their lives they locked themselves in a room together. And guess who showed up?
Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, was back from the dead with the wounds still visible on His body standing in front of them and He said "Peace be with you".
And just like that, this group of friends lives were changed once again.
He came back from the dead not to criticise them for abandoning Him, not to seek revenge on those that unjustly murdered Him, not to command glory and honour for all the good work He had done. He came back for peace. He rose from the dead to show them (and to show me and you) the truth. We were created by God for no other reason than He loves us. We are here in this life to experience that love and share it abundantly. And death is not the end. There is an Eternal life waiting for us all.
Today is a good day. Smile and rejoice no matter where you are. Disease, suffering, fear, anxiety, isolation and death are all real and inevitable. But they have been conquered by Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. Today stop and remember that You are loved beyond measure by Him. Alleluia! He is Risen!
HAPPY EASTER
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