"What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Ps. 8:4
The Easter Season is a glorious time. We celebrate the triumph of life over death. We see around us the manifestation of new life in all of creation, and within ourselves. We celebrate how the Risen Jesus appeared, for a period of time, to his disciples. Before his ascension into heaven, he continued to minister to them. He patiently explained the scriptures. He ate with them. He walked with them. He gave them peace, and sent them to forgive and retain sin, and to baptize in his name.
It was an overwhelming time for those first disciples. They were still reeling from the horror of Jesus' death. They were still feeling the sting of their complicity in Jesus' suffering. After all, as a group they didn't speak up when Jesus was being judged. They vanished. Judas betrayed Jesus. Peter denied him. So in the midst of joy, the disciples had to come to terms with their spiritual deficits.
Easter teaches us that nothing we do can stop God from loving us. Jesus conquered death, but not because we earned it. The lesson to permeate our souls is that God 's love is constant. Our failures, faults or sins will not stop God from being God. It is God's nature to love unconditionally. It is God's nature to save. It is God's nature to use our faults. It is God's nature to be forgiving. We may reject God -- but we will never stop God from acting as God's nature dictates.
The Easter Season invites us in to this miraculous celebration. We are just little specks in the ever-flowing stream of life, yet God is able to love each of us as if we were the only one. How can we comprehend the power and ability of such love? We can't. So we just gratefully, humbly received it - warts and all - let it transform us and mold us into its agents of Holy Love on earth.
Casting Crowns,
"Who Am I?" http://www.youtube.com/watchv=mBcqria2wmg&feature=related
Lord Jesus.
I need You.
Thank You for the ultimate sacrifice you made for me-- out of your amazing love.
I open the door of my life, and receive You.
Take control of my life.
Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen