Romans 6: 8-9
“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him.”
“Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom;”
~ Richard B. Hoyle
With hugs and kisses, and expressions of grateful thanks for their coming, we said good-byes to our family as they departed after our Easter celebration came to an end. Leftover food was wrapped and put away for another meal on Easter Monday. Once dirty china and silver flatware were cleaned and stacked, ready to be stored away for another holiday, high energy had given way to weariness.
There was a lot to prepare for the celebration but, more importantly, I had promised the Lord and myself that I would prepare my heart for Easter. This year’s 40-day Lenten season has come to an end, but this is not the end of the story! On that first Easter, Jesus conquered not only fear and gloom, but death itself. And because of Him, they have no hold on us.
In the days ahead, I pray you will also be reminded of the wonderful truths and encouragement received from God’s Word during this Lenten season: to stay “confessed up” as the Lord loves repentant hearts; to stay “prayed up,” as the Lord loves our devotion to consistent prayer time with Him; to stay “filled up” with the Holy Spirit to guide us in our daily lives and, in particular, to keep us attentive to the needs of others and how we can love our neighbors as ourselves.
Oh, what a Savior to love, lean on, abide in, and serve! He has risen to give us new life and resurrection power. He faithfully demonstrates His love and care for us every day. No matter what we face tomorrow, next month, or next year, always remember that this same Jesus, the King of Glory, is coming again! Allelulia!
Father in heaven, we praise You for Your incomparable gift of Your Son, Jesus. May we honor and serve Him all our days, no matter our circumstances, until He comes again in glory. In His mighty name we pray. Amen.
