Amazing!

A few days ago I was taken on a tour of the Manse garden by Hilary so that I might be shown all the plants that were springing back to life. It was not just the joy of discovering plants that had survived the winter that was filling Hilary with excitement, but also the discovery of plants planted and forgotten, plants that had multiplied, and plants sown for us by the birds. There was in Hilary an infectious bubbling joy at each new discovery that was impossible to miss or to not be caught up in.

We have just witnessed the very crux of the Christian message of hope in that God Himself, in Christ, comes and dies in our place on the cross at Calvary. This death pays the price of our freedom from sin, death and hell, and gives us the opportunity to restore our relationship with Father God.

It could of course be very depressing to think that someone had lost their life on account of our wrong-doing, but this Easter story has a glorious second phase in that Jesus Christ rises from the dead and hundreds of witnesses see Him, speak with Him, and eat with Him. As each told others what they had seen so began an infectious bubbling joy amongst the disciples and apostles that was shared again and again until all Jerusalem was full of rumour about Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth.

Now for you and me the truth of Easter in no rumour, it is undeniable fact. But the danger for us is that facts can become boring! What we all need is a touch of the Holy Spirit to excite us once again about this marvelous, magnificent, wonderful God who gives Himself freely to be crucified and raised from death in order to give us new life. Can you believe it? Can you grasp the truth and wonder at what has been done? Can you feel the joy of freedom from sin? You can? Then Then now is the moment to tell another. Now is the time to share this wonder with a friend or neighbour. Because this truth is even more marvelous than any plant or flower that has grown through the winter, more amazing than any bird sown seed. This is God in love rescuing His own creation from destruction.

Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God shouldst die for me!

May your joy be full this Eastertime in our amazing God.

Your Pastor,

Howard

Back to This Magazine's Index