Plastic Cross ??

“For the baby in her womb, He was the maker of the moon, He was the author of the faith that can make the mountains move” (A.Peterson  “Labor of Love”)

The eve before Easter –well technically it IS Easter – I’m up trying to write school papers and due to my writer’s block, I check facebook. My newsfeed is full of pictures of plastic, commercialized Easter baskets from the “Easter Bunny”. Pastels have literally thrown up all over and I am sickened at the sight.

Call me old fashioned.
Call me whatever you please…

But since when did Easter become so commercialized?

Since when did we take Jesus out of Easter too?

Since when are we more excited about chocolate bunnies and plastic eggs than we are the gift of eternal life through Jesus?

Isn’t it bad enough we have “holiday trees” instead of “Christmas trees”?? Isn’t it bad enough that the gift of Jesus’ miraculous birth is overshadowed by our own “gimme gimme gimme” to an old man in a red suit??  And now…now Easter too??

Now we have the (creepy) Easter Bunny lurking around leaving treats that will never fully satisfy—all the while the real reason for this Holiday is oh I don’t know, the basis of Christianity?!!? The fact that the Lord of ALL creation sent His only son to die for my sin—for your sin—to save me—to save you from an eternity in the pits of hell?!?

Yet, we settle….we settle and get giddy over chocolate, sidewalk chalk, colorful eggs and the list could go on and on.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m no radical that doesn’t ooooh and ahhhh over the little Robin’s Egg candies of this season or the sparkly egg dying kit—but the commercialization of such a day saddens my heart more than words can say.

So, as well celebrate today, let’s remember what or why we celebrate. It is not because we get a day off of work or a week off of school. It’s not chocolate bunnies or egg hunts or dying eggs or filling up on temporary goodness OR even being with family. But rather—it’s a celebration that death has been conquered. A celebration that Jesus died for you and for me and rose again after conquering death!! (Please let that sink in…HE conquered death!) He beat death at death’s own game---because
THAT’s how much He loves you and me.

THAT is something I want to celebrate!!
THAT is something I want to savor!

Let’s not get lost in all that plastic when the real gift is the love of Jesus.

1 Peter 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”