I've been thinking about Easter a lot this past week. My favourite holidays are Christmas and Easter. For me, as a Christian, I feel these are very important days. Christmas is the day we celebrate God's love for us by sending His only Son to be born of a virgin. Easter is the day we remember His death for our sins and celebrate His victory over death in His resurrection. Those are reasons to shout! I serve a risen Saviour! I love this drawing by Dan Lietha for Answers in Genesis.
In our home, we aren't big on Easter eggs or chocolate bunnies (they melt too fast here anyway). This year I did Easter baskets for the kids. We have a small Christian bookstore in our town, and I found some Christian items to put in their baskets, as I want to keep the focus on Christ. I found a pretty jewellery set with a cross necklace and cross earrings for Autumn and a missionary biography that she's been asking for. For Cody I found some Berenstain books about Easter and other Christian themes. I added some sour patch kids and plastic eggs filled with playdough. We also read Benjamin's Box and do the Resurrection Eggs and make our Resurrection cake.
Easter was always a special Sunday for me growing up. My mom and dad always got me a new dress. After church we'd get together with my dad's family and have a big Easter lunch and my aunt would do an Easter egg hunt.
But in saying all that, is it important as Christians to celebrate or remember these days? I believe so. In the Old Testament people set up pillars or memorials to remember certain events. Jacob set a pillar in Bethel after his dream of the ladder which reached to Heaven. I like to think of Christmas and Easter as a pillar. We set up these pillars to remind us of what God has done for us. I think Christians become too complacent and we forget how important the birth, death, and resurrection is. No other religion has a risen Saviour. My husband said this morning in his message, "I am one God away from atheism." How true. Without the resurrection of Christ, we have an empty religion as shown in the photo above. We have something no other religion has - a RISEN SAVIOUR! Come on, people, that's something to get excited about!
Without the birth, the cross, the empty tomb...I have nothing. And that's why I celebrate Christmas and Easter.
I hope you have a blessed Easter!
I'll leave you with the lyrics from my favourite song.
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
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