Who could have imagined that this Easter week would be like it’s shaping up to be? For the first time in 45 years I will not spend Easter worshipping with other’s under the roof of a Church. Like many across the world I will most likely celebrate Easter watching a worship service from my couch. (It actually sounds pretty awesome to be really honest with you.) For most Easter’s I was waking up early to put the finishing touches on a lesson, practicing with a worship team or getting dragged out of bed at 5am for a “Sunrise” service. But this Easter is different for everyone. It is also a great time for us all to remember ‘who’ is in control of everything going on in our world.
In 4 short weeks our world has been turned upside down by a pandemic. I mean, weren’t pandemics things we read about in history class? There is no way a pandemic could happen in the world of technology and advanced research and medicine, right? Well, here we are. Wearing a mask to the grocery store and worrying about if we’ll have enough pasta or toilet paper. All of us are going through this! “Social Distancing”, wearing special masks, washing our hands and doing things we never would have thought could happen. This stuff is scary! It causes people to respond in many different ways, but for most there is a fear. We watch the news and social media and it brings up so much in our minds. This pandemic makes us nervous, it makes us anxious, it makes us change our behaviors. It’s scary!
But do you know who is not scared and will guide us through this time? He isn’t a Doctor, He isn’t a Governor, He isn’t the CDC, He isn’t even the President. His name is Jesus… the son of God. His whole purpose on earth was to live, teach, guide and die for you and me. He took on the sin of all and promises us an eternal life with Him (Galatians 6:23). He knows us. He comforts us. He forgives us. He rescues us. He gives us hope. He gives us a future.
There is a verse towards the end of the Bible in Revelation 1:8 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”
Guess what? God isn’t afraid and He isn’t going anywhere. I know we all have a lot of questions and thoughts. So many things we don’t, can’t and may never know here on Earth. The beautiful thing is He – God offers us hope. He offers us a way to overcome our fear. We can and will overcome fear through faith in His plan for ALL of us.
Hey, I am scared too and I needed to write out my thoughts and feelings to help remind myself of the protection God has over my family and me. This good news is too important not to share. My prayer for you this Easter is that you will draw on your faith. I pray that you will take this time to find out more about the story of Easter (from beginning to end). I pray that you find peace in the midst of the chaos. I pray that you come closer to those you love, that you slow down, that you breathe, that you rest, that you talk more, listen more, read more, play more, walk more, and Live! I pray most importantly that if you don’t know Jesus you will tune in on Sunday. Find your local Church online and listen, watch and see that God is with you. He is with you through all of this. He will be with you when all of this ends. AND He is waiting for you in Heaven. This Easter I invite you to choose Faith. John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.