Easter

Springtime, Renewal, EASTER, Death, Resurrection, Life Everlasting

There is not a season of the year that I dislike. Sure, I may get a little grumpy when we have rain for 40 days and 40 nights, but hey a girl can only take so much dampness and her “hairdo hall of fame” goes out the window. Right now, the season of the year we are in is spring.  (I'm not talking about seasons of life that is another post, for another time.)

So here we are, it’s spring. Three of my favorite views at my house during spring are:  looking out my front window at the buttercups blooming; sitting on my little bench that Bill made for me, in the woods behind the house, at all the trees blooming and the birds singing their bird songs and then lastly, and my favorite is, to sit on my deck looking at, and smelling the wisteria in bloom. The wisteria has been trained to grow in an arch over the deck. For the NSU'ers in the crowd, let me reassure you that I made sure the wisteria I planted would produce the purple blooms. I harvested the seeds from wisteria at my parents' home in Minden; and then dutifully saved them in an envelope and planted them a few years later. For safety sake, I planted about 5 on either side of my deck---not knowing how many would come up. About three vines each came up on either side of the deck. The joy I felt (and still feel) every year is immense, when the wisteria is in bloom. It reminds me of home, brings me joy and it reminds me of the renewal that Christ offers us. Through the years, the wisteria has surprised me, only one small bloom the first year, and the second year approximately three blooms and then in subsequent years after that, hundreds of blooms. It is fragrant, it is beautiful, and it is messy. The fragrance & beauty is when the bloom is still attached and smelling good….but in the mess...the petals all over everything, there is still beauty and hope and fragrance in the mess...in death. 

That’s how life is. Fragrant, beautiful, messy & in the end death. Since I am a Christian, and it is springtime, my thoughts naturally turn towards Easter. Easter 2020 may be shrouded in mystery this year, as we don’t know “will we be able to worship corporately at church? Will we be able to go to Grandma’s/pa’s house to hunt eggs?”  But, I can guarantee the Easter celebration will go on as scheduled.  Jesus was born; He lived and died a beautiful, messy death. For me, for you.  All four gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke & John chronicle the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  Jesus friend's, his disciples sat and chronicled and wrote about the death of their friend, their Savior. In John 11:25 Jesus told Martha, the sister of Lazarus this, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" I ask this question of you, and so does Jesus...."Do you believe?"   Do you believe Jesus was born into this world?  He lived a perfect sin free life, and at the young age of 30 he began what some would call a beautiful, but messy existence because some did not want to hear or believe that he brought salvation to all.  He taught and lived among his disciples and enemies alike. He preached and taught in various settings the free gift of salvation. He made one more triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem and just hours later was brought before Pilate and found guilty of what? Speaking truth? Healing people and saving souls? Wow, how messy it got real quick. The people and soldiers and friends alike mocked and beat him and stole his clothes and then hung him to die on a cross. Messy. But beautiful, because He did it, ya'll, He did it because he loved us. He died, that veil was ripped in the temple signifying that we now had direct access to God--we don't have to go through the temple priests any longer, the sacrifice was given. His body was placed in a tomb and there he lay for three days, messy, beautiful, dead. But on that third day, you know the story, He triumphed over death and rose again, He was resurrected---that stone was moved, the women & the disciples came and HE WAS GONE. Sure he appeared to several after that, but then he ascended into heaven and that’s where the beauty and messy and the fragrance of living comes to us. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Do you want to live a life that is pleasing to Him and that reflects the joy you have as a child of God? Please don't delay, ask him to be the Lord of your life, your beautiful, fragrant, messy life and in the end, when you die, you will have everlasting life.

Love to all, Mrs. P 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the NSU BCM but are solely those of the author(s).