Easter

I was spiritually dead and didn’t know it. I grew up in a religious family and went to church every week. I attended church schools from primary school to college and thought I was living a good Christian life. Although I loved working in the church-and ended up becoming pastor of a large church-my heart was stone cold and legalistic. My relationship with my wife was unloving and lifeless. I needed help. Ironically, help came in the form of losing my pastoral position.

Over the next few years, after my old life had died, God replaced it by forging a new ‘resurrected’ personal relationship between us. In a sense, he rescued me by ‘killing’ my old life of perfectionism and replacing it with a life of hope, restored relationship with my wife and new ministry. Today I am truly that ‘new creation’ that Paul writes about (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).

When Jesus was crucified, the disciples believed that all was lost, but when he rose from the dead, everything changed. When life seems to be at its darkest point, we can turn to God and experience a resurrection to new life. God can continue to transform our relationships, health, finances, purpose and dreams. Easter isn’t just a time to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection 2000 years ago. It is a time to celebrate what God is doing in us every day-giving us new life.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, remind us of the power in your shed blood and resurrection. Thank you for overcoming death and bringing us new life.