When I was a little girl, my parents would leave a trail of jelly beans from my bedroom door to the Easter basket on the fire place. It was magical to me; the idea of surprises after a night of sleep, wonderful goodies to bring me joy. Although the jelly bean trails ended after a certain age, my love for Easter didn’t really waver. The magic did change over time.
Yesterday morning after we picked up our kids from Sunday school, we stood in the gathering space at our church. Normally when I ask me oldest, who is four, what he learned in Sunday school, he doesn’t offer up much. “I don’t remember,” is the most common answer. But yesterday, Resurrection Sunday, my son told me the story of Jesus leaving behind an empty grave.
I almost started crying right there. I had spent that morning during breakfast reminding him of the importance of this holiday, why it is glorious that Jesus lives, and what matters above all else. To hear my son recite a story from the Bible, the truth of our King….that was magic.
I’m taking it with me today. The last thing I want is to confuse the Greatest Gift with one that is replaceable, and hearing my son whisper the story of our risen King….I only hope it gets more magical for him every day. I only hope it’s a path that leads him to our God. I hope it’s a gift that surpasses all of his expectations. Because that’s what Christ’s love does for me. It puts everything else on this earth to shame.
I prayed yesterday during worship at church, that, as I feel vulnerable, emotional, and especially tender with the Lord on this weekend, that raw faith would bleed out into the next day. And the next. And the next. That resurrection Sunday truly become everyday. Because everyday, He lives! His glory only gets sweeter with time! Jesus, help me to shed what keeps me from you so I can be only closer to your side.
Yesterday we celebrated a risen Lord. Now, what about today?
Hope you’re seeing the glory.
JANELLE DELAGRANGE 