Cancel Easter!

I sit in my house during this time of quarantine. I strive to stay off Facebook and find myself there at  least 20 times a day. I want to let go, but I cannot. I fear I may miss some critical update or funny meme that someone else posted. Or, I am just bored and don't really want to do anything else. But, the longer I read, the greater my frustration becomes. It isn't about the "lock down" or whatever you want to call this situation we are in. It is about the comments regarding Easter.

Easter comes on the calendar every year. But, really, what does it mean and why is that one particular Sunday in spring so important? I know for some it is all about getting together with family, hiding eggs, eating ham, breaking the lenten fast, going to church the one Sunday of the year, dressing up in new clothes. But why? Why do we celebrate that way?

As I watched some people's comments over this past week, my heart was stirred. I saw where some people were complaining about the quarantine keeping them away from the normal celebrations they usually participate in, I see some concerned about not being able to figure out how to live stream a church service. Why all of the sudden is going to church or celebrating Easter so critical to those who really have no time any other day of the year to really celebrate the true meaning of Easter?

Then, the conviction set in. If you are at all familiar with the story of Jonah in the Old Testament, that is exactly who I could relate to. My thoughts were similar to his. If you cannot give any time to the Lord any other time of the year, then why is tomorrow so important? Just like Jonah thought the people of Ninevah didn't deserve the salvation of the Lord, so I found myself thinking,

"You people who don't bother any other time to celebrate the true meaning of Easter, you are getting what you deserve this year."

Whoa, did I just say that, think that? What in the world. The Holy Spirit spoke to me, that is such a Jonah way of thinking. Is that really what I want my message to be? I know in my heart I do not want that to be what I think or feel. I really want people to see the true meaning of Easter, I got caught up in the celebration mentality that so distorts the real meaning. This is my confession of that wrong thinking.

Unlike Jonah, I want to really have a heart for the lost. Those who don't understand the true meaning, the personal meaning of Easter. I have written many times in these blogs what that really looks like, I would ask you to dig deeper if you don't understand. Bottom line, we sin, we cannot pay for it, Christ came, lived a sinless life, sacrificed himself on the cross and three days later (Easter) he rose to conquer death, sin, the grave. Your part, accept the free gift that he offers and live a new life in him.

Thankfully, God did not make me sit for three days in the belly of a fish to come to this conclusion. 

Thoughts on a Friday

In these days of uncertainty and trouble, I really need to keep my mind and heart focused on what Jesus is saying to me in the quiet of my lonely house.

I struggle at times when I realize I am alone here, but yet, I know, I am never alone. Jesus promised me He would never leave me nor forsake me. I really need to remember that promise.

I struggle knowing there are so many suffering in this time and I am especially mindful of the ones who do not have the assurance of salvation. This weighs heavier on my heart than the thought of someone actually dying from Covid. My greatest concern of all is that no one slips into eternity without Jesus. If I say too many things (and that is always possible) I pray that the one thing that people hear from me is that there is a way to know eternal peace.

So, once again, I am going to put it out here. I know I have said it a lot, but you may be reading this for the first time and the message may be new to you.

God created us for the sole purpose of living in fellowship with Him. In Genesis 3, that relationship was severed because mankind listened to Satan and believed his lie. God was hurt by that choice, mankind continued to live in that broken fellowship. Then God gave the Law knowing that mankind could not do each part perfectly even if trying with all of our ability. So, then God offered us one more way to restore that fellowship with Him. He gave Jesus to us, Jesus lived a perfect sinless life and was the only way we could be restored. We cannot earn it, we cannot DO enough to gain that fellowship again. There is only one thing we can do.

Ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. Ask Him to forgive you from the sin that separates you from God. Believe in your heart that when you say those words, the work is complete. Don't wait until you think you have yourself all "cleaned up". Just do it willingly and sincerely.

It is simple and in these days nothing else really makes sense.