For me?

Easter is different this year for a lot of reasons. It's early. It's at the tail end of Spring Break. It's the first year that we will be celebrating Easter lunch somewhere other than my parent's house since we moved to Texas. But, the reason for all the celebrating is the same. I pray that it never gets old and that the truth of Easter will show through every part of my life.

This past Summer (or maybe Fall) I was doing a Bible Study and I was drawn to a particular part of the story of Jesus' death that it seems I had never really paid much attention to before. We all know the basics-but this little piece brought a whole new depth for me. Once the soldiers had put Jesus on the cross and he was no doubt experiencing great pain, they mocked him. They said things like, "If you're really God, get yourself out of this mess." How easy it would have been for him to show how powerful he is and literally get himself off that cross. God was completely capable and powerful enough to end the agony for Jesus. End the mocking. End the pain. But he didn't. He didn't because if the story had stopped there, then someone else would have to die. Me.

The mocking soldiers kind of reminds me of myself at times. "God, you're big enough to get me out of this mess. Or, You can make this happen if you really want to." And just like watching His own son die, He doesn't intervene. He knows what's coming, He knows that whatever is happening is for my good and His glory.

So, this Easter, I'm seeing things from a little bit of a different perspective. But the truth is the same, He died for me. He took MY place. And the good news, He didn't stay dead! He is alive and active in my life. And that, my friends, is something to celebrate!