As a Christian, we have much to celebrate. I'm always struck by this when reading through the Old Testament and noting how often God's people dropped everything and celebrated God and His goodness to them - often for days at a time. I'd like some of that party action! Yet sometimes it feels like we major on Christmas but minor on Easter and anything else. I don't know about you, but I can barely get through Thanksgiving dinner without looking forward to the next few weeks. Decorating the house, buying gifts, preparing food, attending parties...and my most favorite....meditating on the birth of Christ. I read the Biblical accounts as well as a number of devotionals. I listen to sacred Christmas music and watch movies that point my heart in the direction of the real meaning of Christmas. I love it all and want it to last as long as possible.
Then comes Easter. And so much less emphasis. Why? You rarely hear it referred to as the Easter season. Sometimes it feels like it sneaks up on us. One day it's Palm Sunday, then we'll attend a Good Friday service and suddenly it's Easter. And then it's over. And yet, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a GIGANTIC miracle and deserves at least an equal amount of my attention. The last few years our family has tried to correct this gross inconsistency in our focus of this less emphasized holiday. Each year it evolves into something a little more meaningful. And we back out the amount of time we spend preparing our hearts to give God His due for such an amazing gift. The cornerstone of our faith. For without Jesus' resurrection, our faith is worthless.I posted this quote on Facebook today: "I heard it called spiritual housekeeping: Praying (drawing close to God), fasting (denying self for a spiritual purpose) and giving (to the poor what we no longer need). What an intentional way to begin preparing to celebrate Easter, to lengthen and give honor for a season the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the foundation of our faith." Participating in these disciplines in private makes the public celebration on Easter Sunday so much more powerful and motivating for our "rest of the year living", remembering what was given and suffered and secured for us.
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures......And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." 1 Corinthians 15: 3,4 & 14
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