Have a Wonderful Easter!

But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
Isaiah 53:5

I was was standing in line at Tim Hortons this morning, waiting to get my morning fix of coffee, I was just reflecting on what Easter means to me...

It's kinda of weirds. Most of my life all Easter meant was a few days off school or work, a bunch of chocolate and a big meal with my family. This whole idea of a guy dying on a cross for my sins, being beaten so I could be whole, whipped so I could be healed, pierced for my rebellion, just sounded... well... ludicrous.

Yet, today. WOW!!! That thought really does bring me to my knees! I always smile when people tell me I became a Christian because I needed a crutch in life. When I put my faith in Jesus I was at the top of my game. I had a beautiful girlfriend, a fantastic job traveling the world, awesome friends, a great social calendar of events and activities. I didn't need a crutch at all. I wasn't hurting, struggling, suffering, or anything. I never gave any thing spiritual a single thought. I was worry free and living it up! Yet, somehow, in God's incredible way, he managed to touch my heart and helped me see that, despite the fact that I had EVERYTHING in life that I thought I wanted, it all meant nothing and I needed something more. I needed God.

Easter means so much more to me today then it ever did! Maybe even more so this year. Everywhere I look at see hurting families, people in despair, people secretly and privately hurting. I see way too many young families on the edge of breaking up... and my heart cries out to God that he would show himself to them as well! Who the heck am I that my heart would be turned to him while others don't??? Why would God want a nobody like me to pastor his church??? In all these struggles, hurts and questions I look at the cross, where Jesus died... and my hope is restored that God is working in so many lives, that God is drawing other people just like me back to him, and that one day the world will be made right. I've seen families restored. I've seen the hurting healed. I've seen people made whole. And that just makes me want to jump up and shout about how great God is!

So, I pray that each and everyone one of you will have a fantastic Easter weekend! For my Christian friends, may this be a time to deepen and strengthen your faith. And for all my awesome friends who think I'm a nut-job religious wacko, I pray that you have a fantastic weekend with your families, that you all will grow in your love for each other, and that, while enjoying your chocolate bunnies you'll ask God a simple question "Do you love me?"... I know that he does and I hope one day you'll know that too :-)

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