I write this on April 9th, the day of our Lord's resurrection, victory over death, and the first sunny morning we have had this whole week. The sun's rays are shining through the green leaves that shake in the wind and give the look as though the trees are alive and whispering, "The long dark is over, there is nothing to fear, come out, come out, the day of the Lord's return is here!" The rays come in through my window and are shining on my face (which is how I woke up) and remind me that Christians are not the only pieces of creation that are celebrating the Lord's resurrection. The early morning sunshine is enough to make you cry as it came after two long days of darkness and downpour. As I was driving through it to get to a friend's house, it looked as though all of nature was crying and had paused its mission to nurture the earth. The sky was grey and foreboding, and the clouds were rolling fast in the southern wind. The rain that came down was not a typical storm in which the clouds, tired of holding the weight of all the water it has collected, release their hold and lets it crash down to nourish and refresh our thirsty souls. The clouds were crying, unabashed to show humanity their mourning faces and darkened eyes. The darkness started on Good Friday, the day of Jesus' crucifixion. The storm starting on Good Friday was near mere coincidence, and it was enough to make you cry, and I'm sure many other Christians, myself as well, did that. We bowed our heads and wiped the tears from our eyes as we sat in waiting for the third day.
But I write this on April 9! The clouds have rolled back and made room for the sun to slip its way into the sky and give us spring light: youthful, piercing, and hopeful. It sets us on our feet and motivates us for the work the Lord has set before us. The leaves are basking in her light and dancing because they are nourished and refreshed. The birds are singing and the flowers are fireworks, exploding into all mixtures of colors, shapes, and sizes.
This celebration of nature occurs on Easter Sunday, the day of Jesus's resurrection. With one breath he conquered death, and the mission for which he was sent was accomplished. He conquered sin and because of that, treacherous sinners like you and me can enter into heaven. We needed the key to heaven, and we had no map or clues as to how to find it. The doors were closed to us and no manner of elvish ruins nor wizardry could break them down. But isn't it wonderful to live on the other side of Christ's salvation and to have obtained the key to unlock those heavenly gates and to enter our home, our real home. There will be no more war, famine, natural destruction, school shootings, heartbreaks, relational pain, chronic disease, or any manner of evil that plagues this mortal earth. We will be with our brothers and sisters, clothed in white and singing with the rhythm of the saints and for the first time in church history, completely unified under one doctrine and singing as one tongue, a never-ending song. We won't need a massive cathedral with oaken pillars holding up the vault in order to feel closer to the Holy Spirit. Nor will we need stain-glass windows with art to try and capture the holiness and meaning of the biblical text it depicts. We will be in the Lord's house, given to us by his son's sacrifice.
So, as I look out my window and see the glory of God's creation, I am so thankful that God uses his creation to glorify himself as well remind us that there is a ruler in this universe who deserves praise for his awesome deeds. I hope this easter that you relax and take the time to see the designer's awesome creation and remember his sacrifice for you. I praise God for his sacrifice and prepare my heart for a long season of celebration. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!