MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

Easter is the most important festival in the Christian Calendar and it is a time for joy and celebration. The chicks, the bunnies, the new leaves and the spring flowers all remind us of new life. The whole of nature seems to be bursting with enthusiasm for life as bulbs break through, blossom decorates the trees and the birds seem to sing louder in the mornings as they rush to create their nests and lay their eggs.

The story of the first Easter in the Bible is very different. A big contrast to all the excitement of Spring, a big contrast to the Christmas. It’s strange isn’t it? When Jesus was born, Angels spoke to his mother and father, a Star appeared in the sky and wise men knew that the king was born, his birth was announced to shepherds by hosts of angels, but for the first Easter, the resurrection, there’s no big announcement no great drama, Jesus just comes and comforts his friends. He doesn’t bother frightening the Pharisees or pursuing Pilate. He just appears quietly and kindly to the people who love him and miss him. The resurrection is the greatest miracle ever to have happened but it’s a quiet miracle that comes only to those who want to know him.

The resurrection means that new life is possible for us too. Our lives don’t have to be the same old same old. Whether we are young or old the resurrection means we have another chance, a chance to live with meaning and purpose, a chance to live lives of love. If we want to, if we let him, Jesus still wants to come to us quietly and kindly, comforting us and helping us. Helping us to live to our full potential as people who are deeply loved and people who can love deeply. Easter means that Jesus loves us more than we can know. If we let him if, we want to, he will come quietly without a big drama to comfort us and to help us and to give us abundant life.

Don’t miss the real reason for the season.

Rev Remco van den Heuval Minister, Wendover Free Church