a bit of a rant, maybe?

I was scrolling through good ol' facebook this morning. (Yes, I am one of those that will read through every new posting and status update on my feed until I get back to the ones I've already seen...too much time on my hands? probably.) And I found myself growing very sad and honestly, a little sick to my stomach.

This is Easter Weekend and more specifically, today is Good Friday. And on some level I do think it's cool that everywhere around this nation, people are aware and maybe even in some sense celebrating the Easter holiday. Even those that don't believe in and/or follow Jesus. It's kinda like when people sing Christmas carols about the birth of Jesus, but don't even have a clue that their hearts are worshiping the Newborn King.

But can I just tell you what makes me sad (okay, borderline angry) and sick to my stomach? The fact that people, who should know better, are so excited about this weekend for various other reasons, but not the fact of what JESUS did on the Cross...and that HE rose again.

Here are a few things that Easter Weekend is NOT about:
1. Dresses
2. Four-day weekends
3. Bunnies
4. Candy
5. Family
Not that any of this stuff is bad. I thoroughly enjoy spending time with my family on Easter. And I look forward to Cadbury Eggs and wearing a pretty spring-y dress. I'm even enjoying the day off I have today (the first in a LONG time).

But this isn't it. The FATHER sent His Son. He lived a completely sinless, pure life. He healed the sick and brought hope to the hopeless. He revolutionized the Law and the way we love. He was betrayed. He was wrongly accused. He was beaten and mocked. He was thrown up on a cross. He became sin. He died. He was laid in a grave.

He lay in that grave for 2 nights. Only 2 nights. He got up. He removed the clothes of death from His body. And He walked out of the grave, past the stone that had been rolled away.

Here are few things that Eater Weekend IS about:
1. regeneration
2. hope of eternity
3. LIFE
4. righteousness
5. repentance

Thank you, JESUS for what you did. Thank you for Who you are. Help us to think rightly about you and about what Easter is about.