overwhelmingly joyous

Bunnies and lost eggs seem to be the new meaning of Easter. Former recognition of a dead and risen savior is no more. It has been taken over by cheap mall photo shoots with a creepy middle aged rabbit being paid minimum wage.

It’s like people don’t know what to believe. They have theories that basically imply that there are no more than facts. They know what they know. Jesus died and rose on the third day… the end.

That would definitely not be considered the end. Is Jesus somewhat more unapproachable because he was able to rise from the dead? I find him completely able to grasp. Knowing he was a man makes him easier to relate to. But his sovereignty can be intimidating or liberating. It’s our choice. I choose the latter. Knowing there is an all sovereign God is intense, but freeing in a way. I know I have limits, and though I tend to hate limits, it’s easier to stay within them, knowing I have a judge. I won’t be hurt, because He was hurt.

“The victory of Jesus Christ at Calvary presents us with two logical alternatives: Either you believe in the resurrection, and hence you believe in Jesus of Nazareth and the gospel he preached; or you believe in non-resurrection, and you do not believe in Jesus of Nazareth and the gospel he preached. If Easter in not history, we must become cynics. In other words, either we believe in resurrection and a living Jesus who is with us in faith, and we commit our lives to both, or we do not. Either we dismiss the Good News as too good to be true, or we permit ourselves to be overwhelmingly joyful persons because of it. A Christian is called to believe in a God who loves and in his Christ who is risen. We believe, and we believe strongly; we believe, and we believe joyously.” – Brennan Manning – The Signature of Jesus.

I find it somewhat embarrassing that Manning mentioned a Christian to be seemingly, “overwhelmingly joyous persons”, because we believe the Good News to be true. I don’t know but three overwhelmingly joyous persons because of their belief in the Gospel. However; I have met some overwhelmingly joyful people who do not know Jesus. Who do not have everything I have. Who tend to have not a lot to be joyful for, but are.

We believe in something “exclusive” and completely accessible at the same time. I have an exclusive relationship with Jesus – me and Him, Him and me. Yet, I can tell others about Jesus, and they are free to fall in love as well. But, they won’t barge in on my relationship with Him; they simply meet Him at another location.

So, we can take this death and resurrection. This pain and suffering turned triumphant stone rolling and keep it in the Bible – letting the story gather dust. “Knowing” of it, but not believing in it. Or we can choose to become overwhelmingly joyous people with the knowledge of a man, who loved us enough to be publicly humiliated and put to death for the sake of our eternities.