Prepared for the Day

Quite honestly, this past week we celebrated the most unique Easter Sunday in my memory.  Churches around the nations ramp up expectations for a bumper attendance on Easter Sunday as even in today’s increasingly secularized nation people who would typically not attend put on their “Sunday Best” and come to church.
 
Not so this year.
 
Instead of preparing for increased attendance, Churches asked instead how to we magnify the importance of this day when we are still limited in gathering?  Many churches (ours included) are still working out the unique aspects of being a streaming-only gathering week, much less how to make the day special!  Working out the details, however, was reminder of what was really important as we prepared for the day.
 
It’s easy to get caught up in the preparations for an event.  Just like Martha and Mary, the things that need to get done can sometimes overwhelm our ability to remember the reasons we feel it’s important to gather.  We get caught up in the Lilies, bunnies, eggs, special music, new clothes, good things that are a part of Easter but not the main thing!  I was very thankful this year that I was able to remember through all of the hectic preparations for the services that it wasn’t just the next task, it was the day that we have set aside to make sure that declare to each other and to the world that HE IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN INDEED!
 
The interesting thing we need to remember in all of this, however, is that while we would certainly understand why we can get lost in the preparations for a major day, we shouldn’t forget that every Sunday we celebrate Jesus’ triumph over the grave.  Every time we gather, we declare to one another that triumph of Jesus over the grave.  We gather every week to encourage one another as we live in light of that truth!  We gather to grow closer to each other as we become more Christ-like. 
 
As we prepare for this coming Sunday, I encourage you all to prepare for our “virtual” gathering with the same excitement that we have for Easter or Christmas or any other special Holiday…. We are declaring Christ’s victory!

For His Glory,
​-Pastor Zach