It’s now been two weeks since Holy Week-the week our Savior endured everything for us. Two weeks since Good Friday, the day Jesus was forsaken by God, took on all our sin, was the once and for all sacrifice for me and for you. Two weeks since sin no longer had a claim on us, allowing us to be free from walking in the flesh and choose to walk in the power of the Spirit. Almost two weeks since silent Saturday. The time everyone thought it was all over. Their hopes and dreams for victory gone. Almost two weeks since Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday. The day it all turned around. The day that victory was claimed. The day Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God conquered death and the grave. The day He showed Himself as triumphant over the enemy.

Have you thought about it in the last couple of weeks? Have you celebrated since then? Have you lived the full, abundant life that Jesus came to give you as a result of His death?

As believers this is our ultimate day! We should be celebrating this every day! Easter should not be one day, one weekend, one week or even a season of the year for us. Easter should be a way of life for the believer. Easter-the resurrection, the death and burial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is our rock solid foundation upon which our whole life and belief system is built upon. It is the gospel! This is what we believe on and by which we are saved. This is exactly what the apostle Paul preached and spoke about in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand, by which you also are saved, if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

I am striving to keep this miraculous, saving grace at the forefront of my mind. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, along with all He suffered prior to it, is resonating with me in a new way. I am trying to live intentionally as one who recognizes Easter on a day in and day out basis. In doing this there is a greater appreciation for the abundant life I have. There is more purpose in everything that I do. There is more awareness of the people I encounter each day and more compassion for those I need to reach out to.

We took our grandson to see The King of Kings movie, https://www.angel.com/movies/king-of-kings, which I highly recommend! He was glued to the screen the whole time and was either giving commentary of what was happening or what was going to happen or was asking questions about what was happening. He was enthralled. When we got to the beating of Jesus, the hanging on the cross and the resurrection, he said, “that is my favorite story in the Bible.” When he said that my heart flipped! First, because it made this GiGi’s heart swell with joy. Second, because I have never said that. I say I love the story of Noah-his dedication and full belief in God’s Word, acting in faith on it. I love to read about David to learn how to be a woman after God’s own heart. I love the book of John-his writing of the life of Jesus so that all will believe. I love the book of Psalms that pours out every emotion you could possibly have and still bring praise to God. BUT I have never said the death, burial and resurrection of my Savior, my best friend, my Lord Jesus was my favorite. It is a hard thing to truly wrap my mind around. It is a lot to take in. Yes, the resurrection, Easter Sunday, is a celebration and exciting thing to remember, but ALL that led up to that day, including ALL of that in the expression of it being my favorite story-that is heavy. Yet, I know it should be my favorite story of the Bible. It is the most pivotal event in history. Now, if I truly think about it, because of the way I live my life, the love I have for Jesus and the love I receive from Him along with the true belief I have in Him, I know that this is my favorite story. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is my favorite story. The gospel is my favorite, because without it I have no hope, no future, no power, no eternal life nor do I have abundant life. Without it everything else is a moot point, but with it I have everything!

The historical account of Jesus, His last days on earth and His resurrection is the best story you will ever hear, believe in and experience. Will you say it is your favorite story of the Bible? Will you live each day as Resurrection Day? Will you live in light of Jesus’ resurrection every day, not just during “Easter season”?

Now is the time to live out what you believe and celebrate on Easter. Now is the time to go and tell, make disciples, as Jesus directs us in Matthew 28. Now is the time to be “Easter people living in a Good Friday world” as Barbara Johnson wrote in her book, Splashes of Joy in the Cesspools of Life. In a world that can be full of anger, hate, comparison, and depression, in a world that can be dark and lonely, in a world that can be centered around itself, thinking of no one else, in a world that has no hope, no direction, no guiding light-a Good Friday world-go and show what it is to be an Easter person. Go and be One Dawning Light!