It’s Easter!
Man, I scored big with some faith column prime real estate!
We are all looking at a very unconventional Easter season this year. In some cases, decades old family traditions are being broken to abide by lockdown and quarantine orders. Life all around for many has been upended.
The prayer request I have been inundated with over the past few weeks has been “to hurry and return back to normal.” That is understandable. We have all been thrust into unfamiliar and uncharted territory.
It makes me think about Jesus’s disciples living through those traumatic few days between the crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection. Imagine the fear and confusion they faced as they reviewed with heavy hearts the events of the previous days. What must have gone through their minds?
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Was it all in vain? Whatever will we do now? Was Jesus who He said He was? Is all hope lost? And especially, “Oh, how we would love to go back to our normal!”
We have the luxury of being able to step out of that moment and see through eyes of the Bible how this story unfolds - Christ is risen. Now, under the New Covenant through His bloodshed, we are offered grace, mercy and forgiveness. Why would we ever want to go back to what was formally called "normal?" Praise God!
Our situation couldn’t be fully compared to the "Surpassing Joy" (Philippians 3:8-11) of what took place between the cross and the tomb, yet could we in some ways be reacting to our present circumstances in similar ways to the 11 disciples back then? Like them, are we longing for the comforts of the normalcies behind us instead of striving for God’s new and better plan for our lives?
It is unfortunate that so many across the globe are suffering with this illness. That goes without saying. But personally, since my fast-paced life has skidded to a near halt, I am realizing the important things of life that I have been missing in my life’s focus - quiet time with God, time with my family and time to truly meditate in His Word.
Followers of Christ need to be blazing inroads into God’s greater plan through this season, instead of longing for a season past, that has run its course.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
"And lean not on your own understanding;
"In all your ways acknowledge Him,
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"And He shall direct your paths."
Proverb 3:5,6
Blair Ecker is pastor at Pine Mountain Gospel Church in Backus.
