Night and Day

Matthew 28:6 ~ "He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

This weekend marks the 1 year anniversary of our move to a new city, and it also happens to fall on Easter. Our family enjoyed a meaningful, spiritually uplifting time of fellowship and worship. Our church celebrates Easter like no other that I've seen. It's the service that we all look forward to all year. Last Easter was a completely different day. We decided that since we were living in a new city, we should look for a church closer to our new home. After visiting a couple, we decided on a small church in our downtown. We walked in, and no one greeted us. That's alright, I thought, maybe everyone was preoccupied with their families, after all, it was Easter Sunday. Then, lo and behold, the pastor himself walked up to us, introduced himself, and asked about us. My husband said that we were new to the city, and looking for our church home. The pastor said, Oh, and then turned around, and walked away to speak to someone he knew! My husband and I looked at each other in disbelief. That was discouraging, and I'm sorry to say, the service was no better. The pastor and congregation sounded bored and uninterested as the pastor said in a monotonous tone, "He is risen", and the people replied just as flatly, "He is risen indeed". Needless to say, we shook the dust off of our shoes, and didn't look back. We eventually determined that the longer drive was worth being in a church that was alive, vibrant, and celebrates the risen Savior, Jesus! Fast forward to this year, and we determined that this year, we would be back to our church, where we can share the joy and hope of the most important day in history. It was a beautiful time of reflection, worship, and celebration. Many tears of hope and joy. I hope that you're Easter was as joyful, and that you had the opportunity to come face to face with the forgiveness and hope found only in Jesus Christ. Happy Easter, He is Risen Indeed!!