Well its been a wet few months hasn’t it?
In the garden the grass is completely waterlogged and on my regular dog walks there are huge puddles that haven’t dried up after months of rain. We might not have had a severely cold winter, but we’ve had a severely wet one! However;
Spring is on its way!
When you hear those words it brings a new hope that will see us through the remaining few weeks of winter. Spring is on its way! The signs are there, the day light hours are beginning to lengthen, the bulbs are poking through, indeed in the church yard this morning the daffodils were on their way.
But were not there yet!
As I reflect on this, I am struck by the links to the Easter story. We are now well into Lent and once again this year at St. Anne’s we are continuing to dress the cross with various symbols that remind us of the crucifixion. The idea being that we are drawn once again to remember all that Jesus did for us and throughout the Lent period to use this time to draw nearer to him. Why is this important? Well quite simply;
Jesus is on the way!
Yes, during this Easter period we hear those familiar passages of the crucifixion and the resurrection and we sing those familiar Easter songs. We even delve into the depths of despair on Good Friday and then rejoice in the beauty of Easter day. The real danger is that this is just something we do, they become routine, that these services, these special times just become part of our tradition. ‘Their lovely’, ‘their beautiful’ are phrases I have often heard. And while this may be true, we must remember;
Jesus is on the way!
You see, that’s the true story of the Easter message. Jesus death and resurrection were two events that changed the world forever. Jesus victory over sin and death, his rising, paved the way for everyone to know true life – life in all its fulness and that life is a life lived in relationship with God. And our relationship with God is only found through Jesus’ sacrifice for us. But that’s not end of the story, you see;
Jesus is on the way!
Jesus’ resurrection was the key that unlocked the door to eternal life, for those who accept Him as their lord and saviour. One day, Jesus will return, that’s the reality of the Easter story and the true question is are we ready for his return? You see just as Spring is coming and we see the signs, Jesus is coming, Easter points to it! The question is are you ready and are you seeing the signs. Because if we look closely, there are signs of His Kingdom breaking through in the here and now, just as there are signs of spring breaking through, and with them comes a new hope- but were not there yet!
As God’s Easter people, may you experience the joy of the Risen Lord Jesus this Easter and lets look forward to all that He has in store for us. I look forward to seeing you in and around the parish.