ALL Things of Thankful: Happy Easter!

 

Artwork depicting Mary meeting the resurrected Jesus outside the tomb

When a child learns that she is going to be a big sister,  she might be able to verbalize that a baby is coming, but she can't really grasp prior to the birth how much that event will change her life. Similarly, while Christians all over the world celebrate Easter Sunday in commemoration of Jesus Christ's victory over the grave, I suspect that while we can verbalize facts, we will "stand all amazed" in wonder and gratitude when we personally experience what is to come after our own death. 

Prior to His crucifixion, Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane and in ways I don't know if I'll ever understand, took upon Himself all the sins of the world. In addition, He also took upon Himself all the heartaches, pains, sicknesses, inequalities, etc.--everything that is wrong in this world. He felt it all, and it caused Him to bleed from every pore. By suffering for our sins, He met the demands of justice. By feeling our pains, He is uniquely qualified to help us with a perfect understanding. Because of His atoning sacrifice, we can live with Him again.

His sacrifice continued on the cross, where He willingly gave up life from His physical body. The earth itself quaked, and "when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God." (Matt. 27:54) Surely He is. 

And because He is, He had power to take up His physical body again--and opened the way that we too can be resurrected. "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." (Matt. 27:52-53)

He conquered death, both spiritual death and physical death. We don't have to fear either one. And that hope is worth all the ten things of thankful! Happy Easter!