Experiencing Easter in modern times
The cross is one of the most significant symbol in the Christian faith and yet is it is more than a monument to admire and worship, more than a pendant to wear around the neck and certainly exceedingly holier than any of the altars the ancient Israelites built to God. It’s power and glory supersedes the tent of the meeting or the ark of the covenant that the entire Israel had to carry with them in order to be aware of God’s presence. But the Cross. The cross is the evidence of God’s love. It is where men surely come to believe that God is amongst men and not only among us but actively involved in our everyday living.
One of the lessons to draw in this Holy Week as we reminisce the life of Jesus on earth is to realize that every purposeful living comes with a cross-carrying at one point in the journey or sometimes through the entire length of that journey.
Thoughout biblical history, we see how many of God’s chosen vessels have been subjected to the affliction of their own crosses. We see Abraham to the delay of a promise, Moses, being stucked on the cross of Israel’s stubbornness , Joseph to the betrayal of his brothers, Jacob to the unfairness of Laban, Rachael to barrenness, Leah to an unrequited love, and time will not permit to write about men and women like Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah , David, Sampson, Naomi, Abagail who had to carry their crosses of imprisonment, loneliness, weeping, enemies, deception from love ones, widowhood and an unwise spouse.
In this Holy Week, we are reminded of the purpose of Jesus’ ministry- which is the ministry of reconciling a sinful world back to God through the redemption of His blood as God in His own perfect wisdom chose to establish before the foundations of the earth by allowing His beloved son to be nailed to the cross.
In the same way, in our simple ordinary lives, we are reminded that the purpose of marraige comes with tolerance, parenting with sacrifice, singleness with loneliness, entrepreneurship with risk, talent with failure, loving with heartbreaks, Leadership with betrayal, family with drama, friendship with transitions and the many things we will keep facing in this life.
The celebration of Easter do no longer become a ceremony or religious ritual but rather an experience to be lived through our daily ordinary lives.
When we begin to ponder over these things, and let the Holy Spirit minister to us, we receive the true gift in this Holy Week. The week of Easter is not just an annual celebration which is something to commorate history and it certainly do no longer become a religious ritual but rather an experience to be lived through our daily ordinary lives.
It is only then that we can take our unique crosses in this seasons of our life and follow Jesus as He leads the way to true redemption.