When I was growing up, I thought of Easter purely as the time when we celebrate Jesus' resurrection. My family was careful to teach me about the significance of this day--especially noting that we don't just celebrate Easter to get an Easter basket full of candy and goodies. I am grateful for that balance that I was given and the spirit that was behind my parents' and my childhood church's teachings.
As I have aged I have learned that Easter is about Jesus--especially about Jesus--but not only about Jesus. There is one big Easter resurrection, but there are many other resurrections, large and small, that we pray for, celebrate, and remember each Easter.
When you've lived long enough to lose some close friends, family members, or worst of all, a child, Easter resurrection is no longer just about Jesus. It is about the eternal hope that we maintain for all those who have passed on from this world. It is about our faith that there is more life beyond this one.
And there are simple resurrections on Easter as well...simple prayers that some of the Good Fridays we've had in the last year will begin to fade in the Resurrection Light of Easter. That relationship that ended, the pet we lost, or the job that laid us off...any of these things are places where we may call on the resurrection hope and power of Easter.
So, as we prepare to celebrate Easter this Sunday, I encourage you to take a moment and look inward. As you celebrate Christ, what other resurrections can you also celebrate? As you sing Easter "Hallelujah's," allow yourself to also consider the Good Fridays that God has brought you through this year. Join with Christ in celebrating your own resurrections.