When I was a nanny for a family in NYC, we spent the Easter break on Jupiter Island in Florida. I went to the Episcopal Easter sunrise service each of the 3 years I was with them along with the grandparents of the little girl I cared for.
Bunny, as she was affectionately called by her grandchildren, always invited me to go with her to the service. As the sun rose over the beach, tears streamed down my face as we read the liturgy. I remember being so embarrassed by my tears. I had been working with them for less than a month – they must be thinking… “we have hired an unstable loon…”
And then, as if for me, the Priest says: “I hope this story – the story of Jesus and the Cross – brings me to tears each time I read it, each time I hear it. May it always bring me to my knees.” I have to admit, I was comforted by his words as tears were streaming down my face. And tears have filled my eyes all over again as I write this email.
The last few weeks have been full of emotion as I have spent the last weeks praying about how best to equip you to tell this story to your kids. This story is heavy, it is hard, it is full of injustice and pain and questions. It is sad.
Jesus, the One who never sinned, suffered a gruesome death.
But. That is not the end.
My counselor often talks about the idea that shutting out one emotion means dampening them all. For example, if I “turn off” sadness, I am also muting happiness. Numbing out one numbs them all to a certain extent. It makes me think about this story-the story of the Cross. If you don’t know what happened on Friday, Sunday doesn’t mean much.
But we can know what happened. We have it in writing, and you guys, we need to READ and KNOW the story of His death, so we can experience the joy that comes when we realize the tomb is empty.
THE TOMB IS EMPTY.
That means HE IS ALIVE. And THAT means death has no power over those who trust in Him. The same love that Paul talks about in Romans 8 put Christ to death AND raised Him from the grave - His love covered a multitude-all-of our sins. And I am standing on the promise that NOTHING can or will separate us from His great love. His death AND resurrection prove it.
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