Easter Day: Celebrating for an Unusual Reason


I have been a Christian for a long time.  Many years.  Easter Day on our calendar really is just another day to me, with my savior no more alive on that day than the day before...  We have some family traditions that my youngest still likes to practice from year to year. 

My son married into a religion and family where they do not do as we have done.  Their premise is that Easter is rooted in pagan religion (the melding of pagan with Christianity) and I am aware that the exact DAY is of man's designation, and historically probably has nothing to do with the exact time of Christ's resurrection, and so........

As a blogger, I just didn't have an "Easter message," like so many others.......... until church today.

Our pastor preached a Bible based, Christ centered message, and it was powerful.

But even his sermon did not give me my "blog message."

My "blog message," came from what I saw.

What I saw at church today  gave me a new passion and a new reason to rejoice about this Christian holiday with both pagan and Christian roots...

Never again will I be shy to boldly celebrate this day (regardless of it's roots that are not all perfect and pure, though my savior was and is...).  From now on I celebrate because while people complain (including myself) about "commercialism,"  I have to think that it is the "commercialism," of stores in America that kept Easter on the brain of ALL the visitors that were at my church today!

Usually we are maybe 50% full and today it was WONDERFUL because we were real close to 100% full....every seat, and my row, my pew, we scooted over twice to make room, FILL the seats, and the guy behind us (a regular) got up, gave his seat up for three twenty-something young men who came in late, so that they could sit together. 

I don't care if they came in late!  I don't hold it against them for not coming more.....   I want to LOVE on them all.  I prayed for God to move hearts, change lives........

I have a regretful memory as a teen, of a preacher at "my church" (not the one I go to now) where he complained about, "the people that only go to church on Easter and Christmas."  

"Really??"

Rather than judging and feeling "better than,"...please please please be ready to LOVE with a fraction of what Jesus brought and shared, and gave on the cross, because He wanted to save us.  He loved us, and wanted to pay the price, so that we COULD be saved from our sinful state doomed to hell.

Honestly, more do not come more often, because the rest of us regulars are so busy enjoying our own comfortable life, that we are not out ministering to others outside of our close, tight comfy little circle.  PRAISE God when any circumstance brings people to a church meeting where His word will be heard!!

From now on I will relish that in this holiday that some won't celebrate because of its unholy or pagan threads woven into the cloth we have today, I will celebrate knowing that this day......more come to church.  More will hear.  Tiny seeds will be planted,
and God can grow something beautiful and magnificent from that tiny seed.

We have much to do sisters.
Much loving.  Much studying.  Much serving.

May we always be ready to LOVE.  Love above judge, lest we be a stumbling block to someone less knowledgeable and full of faith.

Lord, thank you for JESUS, the work He willingly did for us.  I thank you today, and everyday, for His life, sacrifice, and resurrection.  I thank you for Your faithfulness, love, mercy and grace.

I pray Father, that because of the work of your Holy Spirit in my heart, I will be ready always, to love, study, serve, and never self righteously judge.

I pray for your will to be done on earth, as in Heaven.  All glory and honor to You.  In Jesus's name I pray, AMEN

Thank you for letting me share.  If you value this blog message, I would be grateful for you to share it with one of the social share buttons below.

Tammy


Comments

  1. Lots to think about here, Tammy!

    I have never loved Easter. Probably for the same reasons. But this is a good point. Our pastor cited a statistic that says most people who are invited to a church on Easter go. Hmmm....

    I like that three 20-somethings visited your church! Wow.

    I saw photos last Christmas of Christmas trees in a Muslim country. Dubai, maybe? They were posted with an article by Ravi Zacharias. He said Christmas is celebrated in so many places and it gets people talking about Jesus. That's good.

    God bless you.

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    1. I am so happy that you visited Sandi! Thank you for taking the time to share some thoughts as well. HUGS

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  2. In the beginning of our marriage, we attended one of those churches that did not celebrate Christmas or Easter or Halloween because of the Pagan Roots. It wasn't the Jehovah's Witness or Seventh-day Adventist but I learned a lot about the roots of these holidays. And I spent years watching as during Christmas and Easter the typical stores would have Bible stories and Bible items everywhere when normally there would be none! I asked my husband first if I would be able to start celebrating Christmas with the purpose. he said only with the perspectives that you can give me a Biblical reason for in everything you did. Out of that came our month-long Advent celebration, with no Santa Claus. We celebrate the Resurrection Day ffom the basis that Christ Rose but this year I was able to do many of a day-by-day study about Lent similar to my study about Advent that kept everyone's Minds focused on Jesus. The other thing that I found about these two holidays is nobody can hold it against me talking about Jesus because our country is still very aware that is what is supposed to be our Focus! Therefore I use Christmas and Easter for some of my biggest evangelism pushes. So Merry Christmas, and I say blessed Resurrection Day, though I will slip and say Happy Easter as well. I think that any time we can choose to glorify God in our lives, and when the world opens the door to share the truth about Jesus, we should boldly enter in!

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    1. Oh Christi, your sharing immensely blesses my heart. Thank you. You are an inspiration.

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  3. I so appreciated your post, Tammy! You are absolutely right. I have always been a little back-and-forth about Easter, not celebrating when I was growing up but now attending non-denominational churches that fully celebrate. I love your point - those tiny seeds are planted. And we as believers should be praying for each one of those people!!

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  4. Yes Tammy, YES! Anytime we can reach out to those in our community, we need to love on them like it's our job. Or mission. Thanks for sharing you thoughts here. Very important.

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  5. You have such a beautiful heart Tammy! Yes we need to love the once a year church goers because Jesus loves them SO much! Love you sweet friend! ❤

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  6. Such a great piece! I love how you didn’t rush to write the expected Easter Post, but waited. I didn’t celebrate the bunny or Easter egg hunts growing up. But I don’t care if people do either, I love what you said about commercialism making it a big celebration... or something like that. 😍

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  7. Thank you so much for sharing this story, Tammy and for reminding us that what truly matters is our God and what he did for us. Happy Easter!

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