“He is risen!”, I yelled. Nothing. No response from the 12 year old boy running by me along the sidewalk tonight as I walked my dog around our neighborhood pond. He (the boy, not my dog) was sprinting down the sidewalk on this beautiful Spring evening to get to his buddies who had already started fishing.
“He is risen indeed!”, I continued after the silence. Then as he was running it occurs to him what I was saying. He turns back just slightly as he continues his dash to the other side of the pond and says, “oh yeah, I forgot for a second.” Then it hit me.
If you’re like me, you forget for a second. Or an hour. Or a day, a week, or even longer. Or maybe you don’t even know, so you have nothing to forget. You forget that on this Easter day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m a Jesus-dude (I’m unsure of the “cool” way to say I’m a Christian, though I suspect that may not be it) and a member of an amazing church called Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, IA. So I tend to see & hear things through a lens of faith. And what hit me was that so many times I forget that not only did Jesus die for me (and you) but he rose from the dead for me (and you). This is the basis for the Christian faith, for those who are unfamiliar.
But too often I live my life like “I forgot for a second.” Or longer. Much longer. Sometimes, if I’m being honest I forget Jesus did any of that. I pray frequently, I listen to worship music (fancy term for Jesus rock), I go to church every single week, listen to podcasts of pastors from other churches, and so on. I check the boxes. But I don’t always think about what Jesus did. For me. And you.
Literally anyone can die for you. Your mom, dad, brother, sister, friend, neighbor, co-worker, stranger, etc. Would they though? Perhaps. And not only did Jesus die for you but he rose from the dead for you. I don’t know about you, but I need to live my life every day not only knowing that fact (much like cows moo with regional accents…..you didn’t know that, did you?) but also breathing in and breathing out that fact. Breathing it in is for us. Breathing it out is for those around you. And Christianity isn’t just something we consume and breathe in. We breathe it out by loving, serving and caring for the world around us. Just like Jesus did.
So I offer this to you this Easter. If you’re looking for something more out of life, try looking into this Jesus fellow. He can offer you the peace, joy, love, comfort, and purpose that you may not be experiencing but continue to pursue. I’m either wrong, which would just be a waste of my time and yours. Or I’m right, and everything changes. Forever.
Or if you forgot for a second, here’s your friendly reminder.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!