Last year in Laval, Quebec a community Easter egg hunt went so poorly that the organizers are considering having police at the next one. 10 000 Easter egg hunters and their parents showed up for the event which prepared for only 3 000 participants. Many families showed up hours early and got impatient and tried to start early. As you can imagine, there was not enough eggs to go around. It was at this point that things really began to get out of control. Children were getting pushed over and hunters competed for the precious eggs containing treats. Many came away with nothing. Some parents even attempted to snatch eggs out of other baskets for their own children. An Easter celebration descending into a mixture of passion, confusion and chaos… sounds a bit like the first one!
We have the privilege of calm hindsight when we look back at the week that changed all history forever. It is possible that many of us have even numbed our senses to the raw anguish and suffering that accompanied the most selfless act of all time. But if we let ourselves go there, we realize that there was nothing picture perfect, nothing glamorous, nothing poetic about the empty cross and empty tomb that would pave the way for new life. Even the closest followers of Jesus were confused and afraid… and that’s after they saw the empty tomb!! It was only later that passion began to replace panic.
Does it ever feel like you live in a confusing time? Maybe your own personal situation contains an element of uncertainty. You may have also encountered the fast-paced, ever changing nature of this moment in history. Has there ever been a time where so many distinct generations have been alive at the same time? Or a time where the rate of technological change has been as rampant as now? Or a time where a clear way forward has looked less obvious?
A miracle is taking place in the midst of this confusing moment. It is the same miracle that began 2000 years ago. God’s Son knew what it was to be one of us. He knew what it was like to be you. He accepted a death that you deserve so that the miracle of everlasting life could be yours. He paved the way for His followers like you and me to be the agents of abundant life in our time. This Easter I encourage you to not just accept the gift of life Jesus offer you. I invite you to live it each and every day – just like his first followers did amidst the confusion and chaos.
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