Happy Easter

(written April 13th)

At the foot of the tragic mysterious tree
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by his blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful scandalous night

Easter’s adored Bunny did not make his rounds in busy Kampala; baskets galore were empty, not given and not received. Intriguing. An Easter without bunnies, void of chocolate eggs and marshmallow treats? Could this still be Easter?

What this weekend lacked in goodies and commercialism was replaced with a deep-seated sense of why we celebrate the occasion of Easter. Of course I already knew it was the time to celebrate Jesus’ victory over sin, death and the grave, but amidst the joyous clamor of children hunting for foil-wrapped eggs, it can easily become the secondary reason for celebration.

Easter commemorates the Christian’s new beginning, made possible by the love of God and the sacrifice of his Son. There was great darkness as Jesus hung on the cross, embodying our sins, both great and small. Wailing must have been heard as those who had called for his death looked upon his disfigured and blood-stained body, beating their breasts in agony and regret.

Yet, God purposed it all for good. Or, day I say, to be the most wonderful and amazing, the most gracious and undeserved gift ever imagined – a new beginning. That gift was made available to all…even to those whose hands had wielded the hammer; to those who had gambled for Christ’s garments as he hung unclothed on the rough wooden cross; even for those who were crucified on either side of him…the gift was offered. There is beauty in that giving.

And I see myself. Looking down I glimpse the hammer in my own hand. Throwing it to the ground, I drop to my knees, resisting the urge to vomit. What an unthinkable crime I have just committed. My sin, by wrongs, had nailed him to that cross. But, he had seen me – seen us – over the decades and centuries. He knew there was much we would need to be cleansed from, so he took it all upon himself that very day. It is a wonder that the cross did not tumble under such a weight.

But, it didn’t end at his death. Life sprung from Jesus’ selfless deed, just as he himself emerged from the stone grave. We also can start anew, washed in his shed blood to purify us from our wrongs and failures.

All of this was on my mind as I spent Easter day in the company of my new American and Ugandan friends. One, a former drunkard, was given a new beginning when he turned to God and turned away from the drink. Another, a former Muslim, found a new beginning as she chose Jesus, letting God wash her of her sins and speak his love into her heart. It was a day in the company of those who, just like me, had one day found themselves on their knees in front of the sin-soaked cross.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Thank you Jesus!