On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the
spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone
rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find
the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly
two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In
their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men
said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not
here; he has risen!"
I don't think it's an accident that we celebrate Easter in the spring, the time of new life.
Two places bring me closer to the Lord than any
other. One is the ocean, the other is the woods. Tim and I hiked through one of
the local wildlife preserves on good Friday. And I couldn't help but think
about Jesus. I spied trillium as blood red as the blood Jesus spilled. White
trillium reminded me of Jesus' forgiveness and how he will make us whiter than
snow. Patches of purple dwarf larkspur wore their royal robes, like those of
the King.
As we walked, the peacefulness of the forest
calmed my busy mind. With worries and stress quieted, the beautiful song "Good,
Good Father" whispered in my ear. At one point I closed my eyes and let
the music fill my head. God is a good, good father and without doubt he loves every
one of his children. So much so that he sent his own son to save us from sin
and offer us the road to heaven.
Spring is the time to rejoice in new life. The
flowers, the greening up of the trees, but most of all the resurrection of
Jesus.
Let's celebrate Jesus this Easter.