Resurrection!

I always look forward to Easter. From Palm Sunday through Love Feast and Communion on Thursday, Black Friday and of course Easter Sunday. When I was a little kid I was excited because it meant an Easter basket (or paper bag) with candy. We also would get a chocolate cross from church made of snickers and milky way candy bars fused together with icing decorations on top. But Easter has changed as I've gotten older. Now I have a better understanding of what it means for my faith. This past Palm Sunday we celebrated the coming of the king into Jerusalem. The Jews intended to crown and earthly king. Instead it becomes the inauguration of a different kind of kingdom. This Thursday the Mechanic Grove community will celebrate Lovefeast and Communion. This year will be a little different as we celebrate with hispanic brothers and sisters from Lancaster. We will enact Isaiah 56:7 that says God's house will be a house of prayer for all nations. It will be a new look at the church and seeing different people groups united in communion. Friday I will reflect on Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Not only his sacrifice but also his crowning (I wrote about this previously here).

But this year I am especially looking forward to celebrating Resurrection Sunday. Jesus' triumph over sin and death. New, restored, completed, perfected life. It seems like a different part of Holy Week impacts me each year. And this year it is Resurrection. It's probably because of loss I've experienced this year. In the last year I lost a good friend that I grew up with, went to church with, played baseball with, sang with. I also lost my big brother Bob (Theology of a Hug). Last week we lost my wife's grandmother in a car accident. She was a beautiful woman. Since my grandparents live in Ohio, she was my "Granny" too. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 instructs us not to grieve as those with no hope. Instead we look forward to final resurrection and to seeing those that have "fallen asleep." This year as I get closer to Resurrection Sunday I can't help but be thankful, hopeful, and very, very grateful for Resurrection. Enjoying life everlasting with Jesus, Glenny, Bob, Granny and others.

Thank you God for your Son. Thank you for sending him to restore our relationship with you and for giving us life renewed, restored and resurrected with You. Amen!