"Christ is risen from the dead.
We are one with Him again.
Come awake, come awake,
Come and rise up from the grave.
Oh death! Where is your sting?
Oh hell, where is your victory?
Oh church, come stand in the light.
Our God is not dead;
He's alive, He's alive!"
I can't believe it's been one year since I sang those words on Easter Sunday during my baptism. One year ago, I publicly gave my life to Christ at my church and shared my story with the congregation. My mom and my sister travelled to New York City to be with me on Easter. In fact, my mom video taped the whole thing—I watched the video back last night and teared up a bit. Having she and my sister there is something I will never forget.
I was floored by all the other friends and family who surrounded me during that special day, and how even more people reached out when they couldn't be there in person. We celebrated after the service with a homemade Easter brunch, and as I looked around all I could think was, God is so good.
Thank you to everyone who was present both physically and in spirit that day. I was touched by each and every one of you.
Last Easter, I let the words of Colossians guide my testimony as I stood in front of the church, living as one made alive in Christ.
“You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
The verse is in the present tense. He is renewing us, and he will continue to do so. I felt the immense power of that word on Easter, and the Lord has brought even more life and light into my world since then.
He provided new roommates, a new apartment, and a new community. He gave me a new job and helped me let go of my pride. He healed my broken heart, and He cultivated in me a sense of true rest and contentment.
Easter is a tangible reminder of all of these things.
Yet today is the day after Easter. The extra vibrant worship music has faded to the background. The church is back to normal. And if you live in New York City, it's raining and windy and cold. It doesn't feel as joyous and hopeful as Easter felt. Maybe today you're back to work, back to reality, and life feels a little like it's dragging.
I saw someone post on Instagram this morning about how she feels let down after Easter—like we celebrate this hugely important day and then the day after, and the days to follow, feel as though we're back to the valley. Back to real life. Back to a world that feels hopeless and dark.
I think her sentiment is one many of us share.
I'm here to tell you that Easter is as much today as it was yesterday, as it is every day of the year.
The gloriousness that is Easter reigns forever. To comprehend that, we have to take it back to the beginning. When God created heaven and earth, it was perfect. Adam and Eve were perfect. When they sinned, we became sinners, too. As the pastor I heard on Good Friday said, "Before we can understand what was done for us on the cross, we have to see what was done by us."
God took on flesh as Jesus, a perfect human man who actually lived and walked the earth as one of us. He went to the cross because we are the ones who deserved it. Not Him. Us. He took that on himself. He died a terrible death for you, and for me. He bore the wrath that we deserve.
Why would he do that?
Because he loves us. Plain and simple.
The best news: God didn't stop there. He went one step further. Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to the throne in heaven. In doing so, he granted us eternal life!
All I can say to that is, Wow.
The light we experience on Easter shines brightly for us every single day. We have ultimate peace, hope, and joy because of Easter. It's a peace we won't find anywhere else. Nothing will fulfill and satisfy in the way that our God, Jesus Christ, does. And he gives us His love and protection completely free of charge.
Easter means we have access to everlasting glory. Easter means we have a deep comfort and assurance that transcends any gloomy Monday. Easter means we can enter into a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It's the greatest relationship we'll ever have.
So come awake, come awake!
He is risen, and He is here with us even when Easter is long over.
If you want to talk more about Jesus Christ and faith and what-the-heck-is-all-this-stuff, shoot me a message. I love meeting new people, whether virtually or in person, and gabbing about life.
And if you'd like to know more of my story, you can read my testimony here.
Truly, He makes beautiful things.