Our Easter weekend began on Friday with the Good Friday services at church. We followed Jesus to the cross through reading the gospel account in Mark, had communion, then left quietly in the dark.
We attended an Easter service on Saturday night at an area church that our friends attend. They invited us because the pastor was using some video from our friend who is now in heaven. She bravely fought cancer, but went to be with the Lord exactly two years prior to the service on April 23, 2009. I had met her exactly a year prior to that on April 24, 2008, when she visited our school to see about enrolling her boys.
We loved being at this Easter service with her husband and boys and other families from our school who have walked through this with them. Her videos were such a powerful testimony to the hope of the believer when facing death and the meaning of the resurrection. In her video, Beth shared how at some point in the battle with cancer, it ceased to be important whether the report was good or bad, but all that mattered was the presence of the Lord with her.
Beth also shared the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 1:21, “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” So she concluded in the days prior to her death, “I can’t lose.” Indeed, she did not lose, but gained heaven and the eternal presence of her Savior! And despite grief, her family and friends have the hope of eternal life with her one day and seeing her again. Thank you, Jesus!
Our children wanted to go to the Sunrise Service at church on Easter Sunday at 6:30 a.m.! So we made it, but realized it was an abbreviated service of only 30 minutes, which completely makes sense as I thought about it. I turned to my husband at the conclusion of the service and said, “I have to go to the next service.” I just couldn’t bear the thought of missing the Hallelujah Chorus on Easter — my favorite service of the year at our church. My husband replied, “I knew you were going to say that.”
He and the children stayed home, but I loved going to the 8:00 service, singing In Christ Alone and the Hallelujah Chorus. So beautiful! I listened to it all over again on the radio back at home during the 9:30 service. A very full Easter!
We celebrated Easter with my husband’s family at my in-laws house, then the cousins all played at our house until dinner, then we were all back together for a pizza dinner. A very full day. We enjoy having Easter Monday off at our school after a long weekend.
I loved reading the gospels again about Jesus going to the cross for our sins, taking our burdens and guilt, and rising again to give us new life in Him. His Word is true, and it offers hope, eternal hope. Yes, thank you, Jesus, for giving us new life, eternal hope, and the promise of heaven and life with you forever.
Praise Proclaimer 