Praise the Lord for
this EASTERTIDE. We live in the afterglow of Easter. Praise the
Lord for His assurance and unfailing love. He is the Risen Lord and
Savior. Indeed, He is our eternal contemporary. His love
never fails and never gives up on us.
Sunita
posted some of her family pictures taken on Easter Sunday. They were in
the vicinity of the iconic and panoramic settings, the Cherry Blossoms in
Washington, DC, our Nation's Capital. I praise the Lord for America the
beautiful. Praise the Lord for the Body of Christ, the Church, the bride
of Christ which is eternally beautiful. I took some time yesterday
listening to the songs and sounds of the spring birds. I took
some time looking at some of the spring flowers, diverse and variegated.
The Crocuses are in full bloom; the daffodils and tulips are popping up.
Jessica, our youngest daughter, shared that the Magnolias near her
home are blossoming. Indeed, Easter and Spring
are extravagant gifts of the Lord to us. We are reminded that our
lives have eternal ramifications and significance and Jesus makes Easter and
Spring possible. He makes all things glorious and colorful in His
time.
Max
Lucado, in his book Six Hours One Friday, tells the story of a
missionary in Brazil who discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the
jungle near a large river. The tribe needed medical attention. A
contagious disease was ravaging the population and they were desperately in
need of medication. Many of them needed to be hospitalized. People
were dying every day. There was a hospital not very far away, but in
order to get there you had to cross the river. The people of the tribe
would not cross it, because they believed that evil spirits lived in the river.
They were certain that to enter the water would mean certain death — or worse.
The missionary explained that he had crossed the river and nothing evil
happened to him, but they were not convinced. The missionary took them to
the bank and placed his hand in the water. Still they wouldn’t go
in. He decided to walk into the water up to his waist; he even splashed
water on his face. It made no difference. They were still afraid to enter
the river. Finally, he dove into the river, swam beneath the surface
until he emerged on the other side. Once there, he smiled and raised a
triumphant hand into the air. He had entered the river and lived.
It was then that the people of the tribe broke into a cheer and followed him
across.
What will it take for us to dive in? The only thing we will lose is our sickness, and the only thing we will gain is wholeness and life. The good news is that someone has gone before us to the other side. He has lifted He hands in victory. He assures you that we will not only survive,we will have life better than we have ever known it before. He has said, “Because I live you also shall live” (John 14:19). The risen Christ is with us to offer His life in all its fullness.
What will it take for us to dive in? The only thing we will lose is our sickness, and the only thing we will gain is wholeness and life. The good news is that someone has gone before us to the other side. He has lifted He hands in victory. He assures you that we will not only survive,we will have life better than we have ever known it before. He has said, “Because I live you also shall live” (John 14:19). The risen Christ is with us to offer His life in all its fullness.
He is Risen.
Brown.
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