Come Alive

     It's Easter! God has invited you to share in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's right, you. Not only do you get to enjoy the benefits of having your sins forgiven, if you act within the next twenty minutes, you will also receive a free, never-empty cup of joy. Share it with your friends, neighbors, whomever you wish, it will never run out. But wait! As a special Easter bonus, you will also be sent free of charge, an uncommon internal peace.

    Actually, God doesn't really advertise, at least not in the way we think of advertising. I wrote that. Creation and changed lives are more His forte.


     So, I have to say....given the opportunity to go back to what I was before He moved in and changed my life forever, I never would. He invited me to try Him out, take Him for a test drive. It didn't take long for me to know how badly I wanted and needed God in my life. I was five years old.


     Many years passed before I completely surrendered to His will in my life, and even now some circumstances are difficult to accept. The more I see His mighty hand at work in my life and the lives of those around me, the easier it becomes to trust that He works all things together for good (Rom. 8:28).


     During my developing relationship with Him, I have witnessed the resurrection of the dead. Not dead people, at least they weren't physically dead, but the resurrection of dead relationships, dead hope, dead circumstances.


     God has renewed family relationships that seemed hopelessly lost not so long ago. Though that renewal involved me giving up my will for His, the reward far outweighs the stubbornness I clung so tightly to. God's way really is the better way, funny that it's difficult to surrender our wills to accept what He waits to show us.
   

      This Sunday, I rejoice in the resurrection of our dead marriage and family. Only six years ago, I didn't see how our marriage could last another day. Our life together was miserable for both my husband and me. God has been good to facilitate the healing necessary to have a strong relationship and build within our marriage the firm foundation our family needs to thrive.


     What an amazing gift that we have been invited to share in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to experience resurrection in our own lives far beyond what we thought possible.


     We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.~Romans 6:4

     Happy Easter! What resurrections have you experienced in your life?