The images of Easter, known to many Christians as Resurrection Sunday, are plentiful. Just sitting at my computer thinking about Jesus Christ and His death on Good Friday so many years ago, and His Resurrection and eternal life now, is a sobering process in my mind. I think about my different friends and how they do or do not celebrate this friend Jesus, of mine. I scan through the pictures on this laptop and am astounded at how so many different photos represent where my thoughts often drift.
This church, seen as my mom and I drove across the Midwest last summer, is one of so many I snap with my camera while driving or walking around. The general public still revere a church and are often found in it's services only on Easter Sunday and Christmas. There is a mystical, spiritual feeling of being in the house of God on such occasions. Kind of an insurance policy of sorts for people who do not want to place all their bets on the Christ thing, but do not also want to discard completely the thought that He may actually BE.
Another ragingly popular image at Easter is the Bunny. Meet Thomas, a member of the family, who has no clue he somehow plays into the upcoming Easter festivities with increasing popularity and love. He hops round delivering Easter baskets full of candy and gifts to good little boys and girls. He has become the Santa of the Spring season ! Albeit a cute idea, my mind does get rather panic struck that this image is the only one some of my special little friends will ever know.
Every child's favorite Easter activity! Along with the Bunny and the candy and the Great Hunt, small children are thrilled to go hunt for for their treats, decorate their cookies, and dye their eggs.
These images can be spiritualized, as almost anything can be, but are certainly prettier than the blood of the Cross and the messy Crucifixion that reality dictated.
Lest we leave the animal kingdom without adequate representation...the birds. I love nests and birds as much as the next crazy lady, but this image of Easter is a far cry from the Cross. I imagine somehow, as I ponder, that the birds of Calvary were silent as Jesus slowly died on His Cross. Maybe they protested from nearby branches in their loud boisterous ways as the hammers pounded the nails into His palms, trying to chirp over the crowds cheering.
Then there are Easter flowers! I wanted a picture of an elegant Easter lily, but since my mind can only handle momentary processing before I get distracted, I opted for floral representation being imperfect. This then reminds me of my imperfections. I want to be a lily, but am so often just a dandelion. Jesus made me and loves me as I am, so perhaps to Him I am an orchid :-) !
Have you heard the story of the dogwood flower? I know it is connected to the Cross, and I know for some it is a spiritual message, but sadly, the reason I cannot speak of it is because my memory lapses more quickly than it's flowers wilt, so I'll leave the story to someone else. Now if it were in Scripture, I could go look it up, but I am fairly certain from my recent readings that it is not.
Ah, a rainbow~~ the Easter reminder of the faithfulness of God!! He is alive! He will return as He promised!! The rainbow began so many years ago as God promised never to flood this earth again, and He set it as a promise to His faithfulness. I choose this image as a pretty awesome one. Even last night there was a comedian using Christ's return to earth as a joke line and I cringed in disbelief that he could dare joke about our Holy God Who designed this planet. I fear for his audacity and foolishness.
Newborn babies are such a simple, significant joy of Spring and Easter! Do you think Mary's baby Jesus maybe looked like this as He was swaddled in His little dusty, hay smelling swaddling cloths? Do you think she feared for His little life in her inexperience and youth, never realizing that His death would be crucial to her own salvation someday? Do you think she, young and eager to nurse this first Child of hers, would be able to imagine the Tomb He lay in some 33 years later?
It is not a Tomb, but merely represents what the Tomb may have looked like on that Good Friday long ago. A completely different type of swaddling cloth was used for Jesus as He lay buried for 3 days, awaiting His Resurrection.
The heavens! How they seem to show the glory of God and our Hope for eternity! Another less common image of the Easter season might be these clouds and skies I saw last week while visiting the ocean. I stopped and stared they were so magnificent, and then snapped my picture to cement this glorious thought in my brain: heaven is real and more beautiful than any skies on earth. Easter, the fact that Christ actually beat death because of His love for me, His very Being of Goodness. No words left but thank you Lord.
 |
| really perfect shell. |
So. Clearly one will say when viewing the above image, Sue you have lost your marbles(or sea glass pictured below perhaps?) on this Easter image
How does a little sea shell down by the sea shore have anything to do with Easter??
There's a back story that should be shared here, so grab a cup of coffee and keep reading.
My children at various stages of their lives have caused me much joy, and hand in hand there is the sorrow- like two friends walking along the beach on a sunny day . This particular day at the Beach in OCNJ, I was looking for shells but all were very broken and spread sparsely in my path. As I walked along,one of my children called from home and began sharing of their saga of life that had the potential to discourage me as a mom.
[Details spared to protect the guilty.]
I hung up the phone and cried out to God, my heart filled with fear -in- the- making- of- my- mind, and sadness. I looked down and I kid you not, there sat this perfect shell staring up at me. Where did it come from amongst the broken and shattered shells? I seriously even looked around to see if it was a reality TV show placing it in my path! :-) Ok, I watch too much tv.
Symbolism for me personally this Easter season: If God can keep this tiny little beautiful shell from being smashed in this massive ocean as it pounds the shoreline with waves...He most certainly can care lovingly for my child who He has given me to love and care for while on this earth. He loves them too. He died on that old rugged cross for them individually should they choose to trust Him.
 |
| nothing but cool. |
Finally. The end of my thoughts on Good Friday.....there are these little people whom God has given me to love, cherish, and adore. Twelve and counting. Grandchildren beyond grand. Some came and shared the beach with me this week, some could not. Easter is Not about bunnies nor birds nor baskets nor babies nor buds . Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection of the man called Jesus Christ, Who IS worthy of teaching these precious babies of, Who died for them on Good Friday and left that grave, by the power of God, and I will use every breath I have to share this truth with them whenever I can.
You see, Grammy doesn't lie.
