Easter 2020

One month ago Easter planning was in high speed. The house was decorated, church schedule set, family celebration plans being worked on, it was going to be a glorious day, filled from early morning with celebrations of our faith and family. 

I love to pack Easter Sunday completely full!  Our traditions include attending a Sunrise Service, followed by breakfast at church, morning worship service, then home for a special lunch with a houseful of family.  The excitement of planning for this special day invigorates me. 

This year, things changed quickly. There would be no traditional church service, no large gathering, nothing special to plan for, no huge crowd to feed. When we stand still and face the reality of our country's crisis, even the best laid plans and routines fade in comparison of what is truly important. 

With distractions gone and still mind and hands, the timeless truth is that Easter is about hope. Church pews may be empty. The chairs around our dining room table may be empty. But Easter shouts in the emptiness that God is at work. The resurrection is a reminder that an empty tomb means a full hope. Because Jesus lives, we have “a hope that lives on.” The hope of Christ is stronger than death, disease, and discouragement. It fills us with joy in the midst of grief, courage in the face of fear, and peace in times of stress. It perseveres through the most difficult days, shines a light in the darkest night, and anchors us in the fiercest storm.

Hope is what the world needs now, and the resurrection gives it abundantly. The hope Jesus gives us—the hope of eternal life—cannot be taken away. It is not subject to shifting circumstances, our present worries, or a global pandemic. Our hope is founded on the unchanging Word of God and secured by His resurrection.

Easter may feel different this year, but our hope remains—perhaps stronger and more needed and more meaningful than ever. As you celebrate the Risen Savior today, we pray God’s blessing on you: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

The pastor in our drive in church service said - we will never forget Easter 2020. I hope not! It was truly a time laid bare for us to remember the Hope of the Resurrection.