Thursday, April 1, 2021

Easter Then & Now

Remember how last Easter we had to go to church online? I'm glad that that's no longer the case. And I find that I'm also glad that I have this whole past year to look back on.

Like most of us, I haven't always made going to church a priority. In fact, I had only started going back again in November of 2019 after I left a job that included weekends. So it was funny to suddenly have something taken from me that I had previously been willingly staying away from (that is, when there was only online church I wanted to go in person, whereas in previous years when churches were always open I hadn't always gone). 

Looking back now, I rather like the fact that I've stood by during this crazy year. Online church, then in person church with "guidelines" in place, all of those unprecedented situations. Because you know what? Through it all, the Church itself remains the same. It's something we forget especially in this country where we are so used to seeing church buildings everywhere. But the Church (that is, the body of Christ) can meet anywhere, in any building or in any setting. There are the big megachurches and the little neighborhood churches--and in other countries there are the shack churches and the underground churches. Whatever our circumstances, God remains the same and we remain his people worshipping him. 

So that's a lovely concept to consider this Easter. This is the time when we celebrate the life of Jesus and how he died in order to rise up again from the dead and in so doing offer us salvation and reconciliation with God. And because of the past year, I am more able to appreciate being able to go to church and to celebrate with fellow believers. He is risen and we are alive and together we bring our praises. 

(Onyx cross purchased from the Pioneer Living History Museum)

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