Faith March 4, 2016 By
The Easter holiday comes with memories from our childhood and traditions many of us still try to incorporate into our families. Though my memories of Easter as a child are of fun-filled days decorating and collecting eggs, I have, in adulthood, developed a greater appreciation for the real meaning of the holiday.
Easter is a celebration of the gift God gave us through the death, burial, and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. I think of the ultimate sacrifice God made, as a father, by sending his one and only son to take on the atonement for our sins. I think of all the pain and suffering He went through to provide salvation for you and me. I think about love and grace. I think about redemption and freedom. Most importantly, I think of VICTORY!
One of my favorite scriptures is found in Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I can’t think of any better explanation of Easter than what is stated in Romans 5:8. It puts the meaning of grace into a simplified statement … God loves us so much that, even though we mess up, He still sent His one and only Son to die for us! Amen!
Lastly, and most importantly, now that I have children of my own, I want to be sure I am helping them Spend Life Wisely by teaching them at a young age the true meaning of Easter. I want them to understand what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I want them to know the simplicity of the Gospel and how the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus relates to them personally. I am a firm believer that it is our responsibility as parents to teach (disciple) our children—they are our number one ministry.
As Easter approaches, I hope we can all find time to reflect upon and share the true meaning of Easter. Of course, we can still have fun with the Easter Bunny, eggs, and candy as long as we keep our focus on why we are able to celebrate Easter in the first place!
“There in the ground His body lay, light of the world by darkness slain. Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory, Sin's curse has lost its grip on me. For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ.” – Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend
