Easter Series: My son, I love you.

I read something once that said without the resurrection, Jesus and Christianity is nothing. That seems like a harsh statement but it is so true. Without Jesus rising from the dead, the story is incomplete. Jesus had been telling others that this would happen from the start for a reason. It is the victory of the story, it is the part that frees us all and wins the day. We cannot call ourselves Christians if we do not believe in the resurrection.

The resurrection is what allows us to live eternal life. The pain that Jesus endured on the cross was the price, and the resurrection is the reward. The cross is very important. Our debts are paid, our sin wiped clean. But that is only half of the story. We are forgiven, we are released, we are washed clean. But we also live on, we have eternal life, we will rise too.

Is there anything more beautiful than that, I don't think so. God gave his only son. He watched him suffer, watched him die. Can you imagine? I don't even have children yet, but I know that is an unimaginable pain that no one should have to bear. God watched all of this, endured this to free us too.

Then comes the part that makes me have goose bumps, the part that fills my soul with joy: Jesus went back to the Lord. God raised Jesus up and brought Him back to him. I imagine it like: God plucked up Jesus and He dusted off his back, kissed him on the head  and hugged him tight. One of those endless hugs where you are so overjoyed and your whole body is tightly wrapped around the one you love, you feel safe and sound in their embrace. He pulls back to look at Jesus' face and he smiles a smile that only a parent has stored up for their children, filled with pride and love and compassion. He looks him in the eye and says, "my son. I love you. Well done. You were faithful, come and be with me."

You can have this too. Thats the beauty of it all. Jesus did this first, so that we can follow him as well. The price to pay for this never ending gift, is accepting his love, his path for you, his journey. If you let Jesus into your heart, you too will be raised up, patted clean and sat in heaven. You are loved, you are considered, you can be part of this story.

So this Easter, and everyday after, run towards the father.  Run with a fire inside you so that you are living for him. Keep running and running until he plucks you up too, and dusts of your feet and says, "well done my child, you were faithful"