This is the big weekend we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord after He defeated death – for us. A lot of folks have mixed feelings about how we remember the crucifixion and it’s understandable that they do so, because of some of the rituals in which people engage. As for myself, I don’t see how hunting colored eggs have anything to do with remembering the resurrection, but I also don’t have a problem with folks taking a weekend to remember the death and resurrection of the Savior. I have the same problem with people turning it into a remembrance of the Passover or any other thing in lieu of Christ’s resurrection, as I have with those who would use this weekend to celebrate a false god, be it Ishtar or any other. I’m not saying people shouldn’t remember the Passover; it was a big part of Biblical history of the Hebrews, but to try and replace the remembrance of the Resurrection with a Jewish holiday which was never about non-Jews is Gentiles missing out on a chance to glorify Jesus Christ whose sacrifice was for Gentiles as well as Jews. I’m not trying to get anyone’s dander up, but there’s a vicious enemy about who hates any mention or celebration of Jesus Christ, and you can bet he would be in favor of eliminating a Christian holiday and replacing it with something else, anything else, so there’s that.
We keep seeing troublesome things happening in our world, and for some folks it seems to be overbearing to think about trying to find our way through it all. When we look at the rampant evil that’s taking place, it’s easy get frustrated and I’m not above it myself, but we have all the help in the world that we need if we just look in the right place, and when we talk to Jesus about our frustration, He lifts us, lifts our spirit to where it needs to be, especially in times when we celebrate Him and what He did for us. We just have to keep looking to that cross.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that by His ministry culminating in His selfless act on the cross, Jesus Christ has all authority over things here on the earth and over the spiritual realm as well. Life here is still an uphill battle for believers, especially when we have to make our way in this world full of nonbelievers – folks who by and large think we Christians are looney. Well, let them think what they will; they don’t realize we are not alone down here. We have an all-powerful God who sees our plight and gives us the strength we need to endure through this insanity. Jesus Christ is by far the very best friend a human being can have, both in this world and in the next. Whether you know it or not, He’s right beside you and ready to grab you by the collar and pull you through whatever battle Satan has thrust upon you if you just trust Him. He has earned that trust by what He did for us on the cross.
Our political leaders have gone completely bonkers in their servitude to Satan and there’s not much we can do about it, but then, as frustrating as it is sometimes, we don’t have to do anything about it. It’s above our paygrade to try and direct the demons in charge of powerful men, yet we can and should pray for them – there’s always the chance that they might see the error of their ways and repent. It has happened in the past. Remember the citizens of Ninevah, and King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Some important guys in the here and now see the evil in what is going on and resent it, but they are also basically helpless, remember Nicodemus and his support of Jesus, but he was surrounded by the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees and could do little to help the Lord. Anyone stepping in to avoid the crucifixion wasn’t possible; remember He could have summoned thousands of angels to rescue Him if He had chosen to, but He endured that cross for you and me.
If you are in a part of the country where you can get out and enjoy the dogwoods, by all means try to do so – we’re getting a spectacular bloom once again. There are old legends – I remember one of my elementary school teachers (back in the Pleistocene) telling us that the cross was made of dogwood tree and ever since the crucifixion, dogwoods have never grown big enough to make a cross from. I’m not sure about the veracity of that one, but the flower petals grow in sort of a cross shape – anyways the dogwood bloom always reminds me of Jesus’ crucifixion. Glorify Him at every opportunity. Enjoy this blessed weekend.
May the blessings of the Almighty Father find and keep us.
MK