I love Easter. It is the day in which the Christian tradition celebrates its most important moment: Jesus coming back to life. Jesus was put to death on a cross but just a few days later the tomb he was buried in was opened and empty. It is a miracle that makes Jesus more than just a good teacher or special human, but points to the fact that he is God. Jesus came to earth not just to teach a few wise things about human living, but was reworking the foundations of human living as we know it. Because Jesus came back to life, the Christian believes that Jesus has conquered death for all who believe in him and that any person that calls on him can have life forever with him.

The power of the resurrection is to be felt everyday, not only on Easter Sunday. If your life is united with the life of Jesus, then that truth is something that is experienced everyday.

I feel this on a real, personal level. My story of coming to know Jesus is rooted in depression and suicidal thoughts. But now, after pressing into knowing Jesus, I am able to observe my own life as being resurrected. In my own mind, at one time, I desired to die. Now, my life is changed and I percieve my life as good and I enjoy living. When I was at my lowest, I had no ability to dream up the life I am now living. I know how blessed I am.

Jesus is able to resurrect your life now, not just when you die. I have seen it in my own life and in countless others.

I will leave you with a word from Paul in Colossians 3, where he encourages the church in Colossae to press on living into a resurrected life and what that looks like:

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practice and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanksto God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:1-17, ESV

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