Easter Bonnets and Bunnies: Living in Newness of Life
/ I AM the Resurrection and the Life;
he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies,
and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.
John 11:25-26
I have two younger sisters, Linda and Nancy. At Easter every year, our mom would dress us up in our ruffly Easter dresses, shoes, purses, and of course, bonnets. Since I am the oldest of the three, my Easter clothes were usually brand new. My younger two sisters, on the other hand, had hand-me-downs, but they were “new to them.” This was especially true when it came to our Easter bonnets.
My youngest sister Nancy loves to tell the story of our bonnets this way (with some “poetic license,” of course):
“Janet’s bonnet was always new, with a brim full of flowers all around.
Linda’s bonnet was Janet’s ‘last year’s bonnet,’ but minus the flowers (which probably had fallen apart over the course of the year).
So by the time it got to me, the bonnet was just the crown, with maybe a bit of ribbon around it to ‘dress it up.’
But believe it or not, I always loved that bonnet!”
There is a measure of truth to Nancy’s story. But Easter isn't about bonnets and ruffly dresses, is it? It’s not about bunnies, chicks, colored eggs, Easter lilies or other spring flowers. They are all simply pictures, metaphors, if you will, of the real deal. And the real deal is LIFE, brand NEW life!
Easter is about our Lord’s new, up from the grave, Resurrection Life. He conquered sin and death on the cross and then was raised, so that we could walk in newness of LIFE.
Jesus Himself said,
I am the way, and the truth, and the LIFE (ZOE, Greek).
John 14:6 ESV
This Zoe life is not physical life. That’s a different Greek word, Bios. No! Zoe is God’s own LIFE – uncreated, eternal, indestructible, unchanging!
How does Zoe, God’s own eternal LIFE, happen for you and me? It can only happen one way – through union with Him who is LIFE Himself through the new birth!
Jesus said,
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3 ESV
And this Zoe life is not just enough to get us into heaven. NO! Christ's Zoe life is abundant, over the top, more than sufficient for life on earth -- right here, right now! Jesus said,
I came that they may have life, and that they may have it abundantly!
John 10:10 ESV
So listen to the good news of the Gospel:
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died FOR you.
So that He could give His life TO you,
In order to live His life THROUGH you...as YOU!
Brennan Manning has a phrase that I love, “living in Present Risenness.” In his precious book The Rabbi's Heartbeat, he says:
We are not cowed into timidity by death and life. Were we forced to rely on our own shabby resources we would be pitiful people indeed. But the awareness of Christ's present risenness persuades us that we are buoyed up and carried on by a life greater than our own.
The Christ within who is our hope of glory is not a matter of theological debate or philosophical speculation. He is not a hobby, a part-time project, a good theme for a book, or a last resort when all human effort fails. He is our life, the most real fact about us. He is the power and wisdom of God dwelling within us.
The Rabbi’s Heartbeat, emphasis mine
Not just on Easter, but every day of the year, dear child of God, meditate on this glorious thought:
The Resurrected Christ is alive in your world right now. The Living Christ lives in you today. And this same Lord Jesus Christ lives His resurrection life through you as you walk in present risen-ness every day!
Prayer
Lord Jesus, live through me, love through me, serve through me today. Unfold the fullness of Your Zoe Life in and through me today. For Your glory and purpose in this generation. Amen.
Easter Morning
It’s Easter Morning and I want to shout!
What is it I want to shout about?
Not about tulips and chocolate bunnies,
Or colored eggs full of gummy bear yummies.
But because Your tomb was empty that morning
And that put an end to Your follower’s mourning.
Though You suffered and died upon that cross
You rose in Victory for all who were lost!
Even though we certainly didn’t deserve it
For we did absolutely nothing to earn it.
For it is a fact that we were all sinners
But You, by Your sacrifice, made us all winners.
For we’re the recipients of Your love and grace
Not by our intelligence, our actions, or our race.
Let us not forget in all today’s busy-ness
To thank You and celebrate Your present risen-ness!
Penny Mandeville
Reflections
1. In a very real sense, every day is Easter, Resurrection Day, for those of us who are alive with His Life. Reflect on the various traditions, symbols of new life that abound in your family or community celebration of Easter. Journal each one and what aspect of new life is pictured there.
2. Follow Beth’s suggestion below. Get an empty basket and each day week (morning &/or evening), place your pressing concerns into the basket – even write them out specifically and date them. Leave them with the Risen Christ. He can carry them. You and I can’t. Later, take a peek at those daily concerns and journal what the Lord did when they were given over to Him.
This Easter may you put all your eggs in one basket –
all your joys and fears, sadness and tears, in the one and only risen Lord.
Happy Easter!
Beth Loyd Filson 2013
