I realize that the Easter holiday was two weeks ago, but if we’re not careful, Easter (like Christmas) can become just another holiday that we celebrate simply because it’s on the calendar.
That seems to be the case for people who attend worship gatherings mainly at Christmas and Easter. But even those of us who worship God year-round can still fall into the trap of thinking of Easter as a once-a-year routine.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ has implications for our lives all year long. Because we’re defined by the resurrection of Christ, we are Easter people!
Being Easter people means knowing that Christ died for us, that Jesus is our Lord as well as our Savior. Recognizing that Jesus Christ is Lord means living under his lordship every day. It’s a life of surrender to God.
I love what Paul writes in Galatians 2.20 …
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
We have life through Jesus Christ. What a gift! But with the gift comes the responsibility to live lives worthy of God’s gift. Living lives that honor God is not a duty we begrudgingly give to God but an act of worship in response to God’s gift to us.
For Christ-followers, Easter isn’t just an annual holiday, only to move on afterward, unchanged. Easter is an everyday reality that continues to shape us as we surrender ourselves to God!