Easter has become so much more for me than the search for chocolate eggs in the garden. The more I get to know God, the more I am in awe of what Easter represents: Jesus rising from the dead, totally victorious over sin. Jesus loved us so much that He laid down His life, suffering a terrible death to pay the price we couldn’t pay.
We can almost hear the words echoing from the angels’ mouths: He is risen! He is risen!
What a joy it is to know that my sins have been forgiven through what He did on the cross for me and you. I have been adopted into God’s family. Jesus has replaced my guilt and shame by an amazing sense of His love, His life and His grace. That is much to celebrate!
His story is all through the Bible. There are so many illustrations of the salvation that God wanted to shed on men. I remember hearing the story of Samson, the strong man than nobody could overpower. As a child, little did I realise at the time, that Samson was another image of Christ who would come to redeem us. The same goes for Noah, Abraham, Joseph, David. They are all pictures of Jesus. The feast of the Passover is another example of what Jesus would do for us.
God’s plan of redemption through His Son, fully God, yet coming as a man, has been unfolding right through the ages so we could be a part of it. Jesus did it all on our behalf. There is nothing we need to do but to believe in Him and His perfect sacrifice.
Many would argue that it is too simplistic. Well, to them I say, the Gospel is simple and straightforward, so that everyone who is ready to believe in Jesus, can be saved.
Does that make me grow complacent as some would say? Not at all.
Every day, as I grow in His love, I want to serve Him with more zeal than ever before. He leads the way and I follow. He knows what is ahead. I can fully trust Him.
I have added a few links from my blogging friends who have also written about Easter. Enjoy.
A Deliciously Definitive Demolition (An Easter Contemplation) by Mazzy Adams
Easter through a female lens by Susan Barnes
Barabbas or Jesus? By Nola Lorraine
Thanks for those thoughts, Virginie. It’s amazing how the whole Old Testament was pointing to what Jesus would do for us on the cross. Thanks for showing us more of the real meaning behind Easter.
I love the way God’s story is all through the Bible! He left so many clues in the Old Testament that point towards Jesus, He is amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Virginia for this lovely encouragement! You’re right, the gospel at it’s core is profoundly simple. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Virginie, thanks for this.
I, too, love the way Jesus’ image, purpose, and plan is foreshadowed and revealed in the words of the Old Testament. More and more, I’m learning to linger, taking time to ponder those words so that I might see more. The more I see, the more excited I get about the beauty, power, and complexity of God’s plan to provide us with such a simple, straightforward, completely free and available salvation.
I also loved your image of that majestic Eucalyptus tree emerging from the mist. It reminded me of a bus trip I took back in the nineties, from Sydney to Toowoomba. We travelled through the night and, as the sun rose, the morning mist held and revealed mysteries within the stands of ghost gums, surprising me when a country church appeared. Partially obscured by the mist, it seemed to float, beautiful and ethereal. I remember scribbling several lines of a potential poem at the time … must see if I can find those scribbles, hiding in a forgotten draw somewhere. Thanks for the reminder.