The Easter Experience

I wondered how Easter was going to be this year. 

And God fills me with the Holy Spirit.

Especially today. 

I hoped that my first Easter as a Christian would be special. 

And God’s work in my life never disappoints. 

Especially today.

I worried that the fears that weighed on my heart over the last few weeks would taint my Easter experience. 

But God is great. 

Especially today. 

I wondered what the sunrise would illuminate in my life. 

And God delivered.

Especially today.

I woke up on Good Friday to a cloudy sky. After the beautiful spring weather, the ominous clouds were a shock to the system. Beautiful sunshine was replaced by frigid wind. Blue skies were replaced by flurries of moisture. Joy was replaced by sorrow. 

As the tradition stands, every year, my family treks down the street, taking turns hauling a cross on our backs. A loving and reverent homage to the Son of God. As my turn came to pay my respects to the One who gives me all, my mind was brought to the half mile my Savior carried His cross. 

Deep lacerations blanketing His back. A crown of thorns tearing through His sciatic nerve. On the brink of death Himself, a pain one can only imagine. Dragging a cross to His excruciating death. The momentary pain I felt in my shoulder, hands and back was no match to the harrowing pain of my Savior’s torture. 

As I braced myself against the blustering wind, cheeks flushed from the frigidity around me, I was solemnly reminded that this day in April, though surrounded by delightful spring warmth, was God’s reminder to us all of what horrendous events led up to the crucifixion of the Son of God Himself, Jesus Christ. 

“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour…And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split…When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God’” (Matthew 27:45, 50, 51, 54). 

Darkness.

The temple veil torn in two.

Earthquakes.

Split rocks. 

The Earth mourned the murder of its innocent Creator. 

Suddenly, I was filled with a level of hope and love that I had never experienced before. Thousands of years later, the Earth continues to mourn the heinous and horrific crucifixion of its Creator. 

Just as Lamentations 3:22-23 reads, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Joy comes in the morning.

Joy comes in the morning of the Resurrection. 

Joy came this morning. 

When the sun gloriously broke through the barriers of the sky, showering me with its warmth, I knew, without a doubt in my mind, that God heard my prayers, even when I didn’t believe He was listening. 

He gave me a Savior. He gave me His Son. He delivered His own Son to suffer, to be betrayed, to be mocked, beaten, nailed to a cross. 

All for me. 

All because He knows I am a sinner. 

All because the blood of Jesus is the only thing that could save a lost soul like mine. 

All because He loves me. 

My Savior, my Friend, my Advocate willingly surrendered His life to the will of God the Father. He surrendered peacefully into the hands of the men who would betray Him, mock Him, beat Him, nail Him to a cross. 

Just for me.

A sinner.

A sacrifice so grueling that He bled from every pour. 

A death so agonizing that He held on only long enough to utter the most sacred words, 

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

And on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead. 

The sorrow and pain that the Earth endured at the incomprehensibly inhumane murder of its Creator was replaced with rejoicing!

The frigid wind of Good Friday was replaced by splendid sunshine. Flurries of moisture were replaced by brilliant blue skies. Sorrow was replaced by joy. A loving and reverent homage to the Son of God who gave His life for us and conquered death, sin and Satan all in one fell swoop. 

As I rejoiced alongside dozens of disciples of Jesus Christ today, I was filled with the most peaceful feeling I have ever experienced. With every prayer soaked lyric, with every beat of my heart, with every fiber of my soul, I rejoiced in the glorious faithfulness of my God. And the Holy Spirit testified to my soul of the Truth. 

And that Truth is Jesus Christ.