April 13, 2009

 Easter — A Time of Hope!

When we think about Easter we think of Easter bunnies, Easter egg hunts, marshmallow eggs, Cadbury eggs, peeps, chocolate Easter bunnies, churches filled with people, big dinners and family, a time of fun and festivities.

Take the time to think about all of that, but also think of it as a time of hope. Many find themselves in desperate situations right now, struggling with their own issues and not knowing what to do, not even believing they deserve any better than what they are getting because of some issue from their past. They are caught up in the turmoil of the economic times, the chaos of the economy, homes in foreclosure, jobs being lost, past mistakes and all that is affecting families and marriages.

The government may desire to fix it for us, but the truth of the matter is that they can’t. The government is struggling itself, with it’s own problems, financial downturns, the war in Iraq and a new administration that has never had to face the problems that were already in place when they walked through the doors. With all that is going on can we really put our trust, our hope in the government?

Hope means trust, or reliance, desire accompanied by expectation of fulfillment, one that gives promise for the future. Can the government give us that? Has the government given us that in the past? Is that the government’s responsibility? Or is the government’s responsibility to administer, to provide direction, to govern?

This is not a bash-the-government article, so don’t think that is where I am going with this. What I am saying is that we need to put our hope in something bigger and more powerful than the government. Our hope has to be in the one that created us, the one that created the universe (Genesis 1:1 – 2:4), the one that created government, because the creator always knows the purpose for that which each of the created things has been created. You can trust and put your hope in the creator because:

He knows you inside and out, the good and the bad.
He has all power.
He knows what you need and He knows when you need it.
His resources are unlimited.
He loves you.

God is our creator and the truth of the matter is that if God does not do it, it can’t be done. God made a plan for us from the beginning of time. A sacrifice was made for us when Jesus went to the cross for us, because God knew a sacrifice was going to be necessary. He loved us so much that He sent His only beloved son to take our place and be that sacrificial offering. (John 3:16: 16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.)

As we grow in our relationship with God, we will begin to understand even more why we can put our faith and trust in Him. Men will fail you, the government will struggle, but you can count on your creator to keep you. He may not do it the way you want it done, but in the end you will see that He is your hope and that He knows what is and was best for you because the end will be better because of His working it out on your behalf.

Ephesians 3:14-21 is a prayer. It says, 14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[a] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[b] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. His resources are unlimited, so He can pay the bills. He loves us so He can and will forgive. You will be strengthened as you allow your heart to trust in Him. That sounds like hope to me.

The world calls it Easter, but you can also call it Resurrection Sunday. Easter and everyday are times of hope. Read the Gospel of Matthew for an account of the life and time of Jesus Christ to get a real understanding of His life, death and resurrection and what it means to each one of us.

Weekly Scripture:

Ephesians 3:14-21:
 14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[a] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[b] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.