4/20/2019: I's been FIVE years since I originally wrote this post for Easter. But the message is still the same five years later, and I expect it will always be this way...the closer I get to heaven...the more excited I get...because of what Jesus did for us on Calvary...but especially because of what He did for us on Easter morning...When He came out of the tomb...victorious over death, and ensuring for all believers LIFE EVERLASTING!! Praise God!!!! Please read on...
I originally wrote this post for Easter 2014. A lot has changed in our lives since then* (For the update on this please click on this link, written 5/25/2014), but even though our son has since passed on to heaven, (May 25, 2014) nothing has really changed in how I view Easter. It is even more significant and precious to me now, knowing that I have a son waiting for me in heaven someday.
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| Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane Stained Glass Window-First Presbyterian Church, Ocala, FL. |
I originally wrote this post for Easter 2014. A lot has changed in our lives since then* (For the update on this please click on this link, written 5/25/2014), but even though our son has since passed on to heaven, (May 25, 2014) nothing has really changed in how I view Easter. It is even more significant and precious to me now, knowing that I have a son waiting for me in heaven someday.
What Easter Means To Me
(Originally written 4/18/2014)
Because I have a precious son standing on the
threshold of heaven’s gate, Easter has a lot more significance to me this year.
Fouryears ago we received some shocking news regarding our son...a diagnosis so
grim that it struck fear into our hearts and caused us to ask, "Why Lord?
What good could possibly come from this assault on our son's body? We didn't know what kind of plan God had...and as a mother, to be honest, I truly did
not want to see our son go through all the suffering and pain of fighting the
formidable foe of cancer. It just didn't seem fair. But don't stop
reading here...
On the
day after the crucifixion, Jesus' mother and his disciples were hiding and
afraid. They did not understand what was happening, even though Christ had
tried over and over again to tell them what was going to take place, but their
hearts were broken, their eyes were still blinded by doubt and confusion, and
they just couldn't see how anything good could come out of His death.
They did not realize that God had a plan…
On Easter
morning all of God’s creation was waiting...waiting for the Easter
sunrise...waiting for God to show them the next part of His plan…not realizing
that they would soon hear an angel proclaim the astounding message,
"Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not
here, but is risen!"
(Luke 24:5-6)
The angel
reminded the disciples of what Christ had taught them about His death and
resurrection, and then “they remembered His words…”
Perhaps
they then remembered what Jesus told them in John14:19~
“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more,
but you will see Me.
Because I live, you will live also.”
And then His words all began to make
sense…both to His disciples…and also to me. When Christ said “It is finished”
as He died on the cross, death became a conquered foe. That was not the end of
the story, but the beginning. When (and if) my son loses his earthly battle
against this vicious cancer, that will not be the end of his story, but the
beginning. As he passes over that threshold, heaven’s gate will open wide to
receive him joyfully. Isaiah 25:8 says,
“Death is swallowed up in victory!” “O
Death, where is your sting? O death, where is your victory?” (I Corinthians 15:55)
Since “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), I can stare
death in the face and not be afraid of saying goodbye to my son when the time comes. Because of
Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, my son will also live. And so will I.
And so will you.
And that’s what Easter
means to me.
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| Our son Matthew, just a few months before he entered heaven's portals |
I just found this video of a very special Easter song, "He's Alive!" by Don Francisco, which is sung from the perspective of the Apostle Peter. I think you may appreciate it. I remember singing this song back in the late 70's... "He's Alive! He's Alive! He's Alive and I'm forgiven, heaven's gates are open wide! He's Alive! He's Alive! He's Alive!" Hallelujah! That is what Easter is all about!!!
