Easter is swiftly approaching

Time is swiftly fleeting by. It’s approaching that time of year once again, when most of us in the local Christian community will reflect on the death of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and his ultimate resurrection and as such, celebrate Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, during what we refer to as the Easter period.

For those attending Good Friday service, the pain and suffering of Christ will be the focus – His rejection by the very highest officials, His denial by disciple Peter, the call of the mob for the criminal Barabbas, instead of the King of the Jews. Then on Easter Sunday, there is much celebration and jubilation, as the focus shifts to his triumphant resurrection and subsequent return to his Father in Heaven, after his earthly task was complete. As such, for those of us in the Christian community, the Easter period on a whole, holds great significance for us.

Now if we look closely, the Easter happenings mirror our time here on earth, somewhat. It stands to reason that once we are here on earth, we were born at some point in time. Hence, we celebrate Christ’s birth at Christmas. Having been born, we die at some point in time. Hence, the Good Friday period with its focus on the crucifixion and Christ’s death. Those in the Christian community will stress that Christ’s crucifixion and subsequent death however, was not his final end. Hence we celebrate His resurrection and the empty tomb on Easter Sunday. Given that he died to give us the gift of Salvation and with it a promise of eternal life, the Christian holds that eternal hope, that he or she too, will see Heaven.

The Easter period is significant as well, as it causes us to reflect on human life and how it is lived. It is not hard to imagine how Jesus was rejected by his very own, since, in our very own society, we have instances where individuals put us down and try to belittle us. In some cases, persons who previously praised us, turn on us. In these times as well, it appears that a number of persons are gravitating to what is negative, rather than what is wholesome. Those who wish to stand up for what is right, are at times criticised and ostracised. They are at times rejected by those who wish to fall in line with the status quo. The turning point however comes when we realise that Christ fulfilled His mission here on earth, to give us hope and a future. He makes it clear in the Bible, how we should live. We come to realise that however archaic it may appear to some, those following the biblical principles in sincerity, will not lack any good thing.

In essence, while we all have our faults and struggles, we should all remember that the message of Easter is one of Christian love, which ultimately assures us of the gift of salvation, once we accept what is on offer. There is no one twisting your arm to make sure you co-operate. However, if you will just exercise a little faith and say a little prayer, you will realise that broken humanity can be fixed by seeking a loving God, who has already paved the way for us. He does not promise a smooth flight, but a safe landing and none other but the Easter story, reminds us of that.