Easter Joy

            Last Saturday our church had an Easter Eggstravaganza!  It was fantastic.  We had children come who enjoyed face painting, crafts, snacks, hunted Easter eggs and heard the Easter story.  As I consider the traditions that seemed to have attached themselves to this Holy day, I’m struck by how similar they are to Christmas traditions.  

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            At Christmas our family has turkey dinner, a variety of desserts and exchange gifts, even as we are celebrating the birth of Christ.  In many families the birth of the Messiah, Jesus, is missed with all the busy-ness of the holidays.  It seems Easter’s traditional meat for many is ham, while chocolate and marshmallow bunnies are the dessert of choice, and hunting Easter eggs is the activity, and in some homes gifts are again given, as we celebrate the Risen Lord.

            What makes us so bent on celebrating Holy days with such far reaching traditions?  Turkey and ham have nothing to do with either holiday.  Jewish people don’t even eat pork!  (Apparently the logical reason for ham stems from the time frame required for slaughtering and curing the meat, which happened to be ready about Easter time!  Turkeys were used because they were fresh, cheap and could feed a crowd!)  The idea of exchanging gifts is in honor of the three Wise Men who visited the Christ Child and the Easter Egg is synonymous with rebirth and the Easter egg hunt evolved from German immigrants, and no, I am NOT at all opposed to these activities!

            But what does any of this really have to do with what happened on Easter Sunday?  What does this have to do with the selfless act of Jesus dying on the cross of Calvary for our sins?  When the little ones hunt those eggs (and again I’m not opposed to the joy our little ones experience from this one bit!) do the children who don’t attend a Bible believing church understand what they are celebrating?  Is it just about candy and Easter egg hunts, for them?  Where are they going to hear the real story, and when?  

            Jesus is all God and yet was all man.  He experienced all our emotions, trials and temptations, and an excruciatingly painful, cruel death on the cross.  As I reflect on this truth, I realize it’s not about food or entertainment; it’s about life and death.  Jesus’ death and my acceptance of Him as Savior sealed my eternal home destination.  Everyone will go somewhere after they leave the Earth.  I will have life because of His sacrifice.  The relative I wrote of last week battling cancer left this life early Easter morning, to go be with Jesus.  He will spend eternity with the Father because he accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.  I will see him again one day, in Glory!

Jesus’ resurrection is proof He is who He says He is!  And He will return one day, and that day is rapidly approaching.  I know where I am spending eternity.  Do you?  Do you know where you will spend the rest of your days when your body fails at the end of this life?  I would ask, if not, consider Jesus.  He really is the only option when you consider the alternative.  Hell is a real place; a place of everlasting torment.  

            Easter is a time of exquisite joy, if you know Jesus as Savior.  I pray, if you have never accepted him as Lord and Savior, you will do that now.  Confess and repent of your sins; ask Jesus into your heart; then find yourself a good Bible believing church where you can find joy and comfort beyond words, in a relationship with the Lord.  It is the greatest gift you can ever receive!