What’s the real Easter story?
Published 12:26 pm Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Did you know that one of the most searched questions on Google is around Easter? “How many eggs does the average rabbit lay?” The answer is 0. Rabbits don’t lay eggs. There is a legend of a pagan celebration, where the Goddess of Spring, Eastre, turns a frozen bird into a snow hare that can lay all types of colorful eggs. So if you didn’t know, now you do. That is why rabbits and eggs are forever linked together at Easter. Bunnies and baskets, candy and colored eggs, it gets all of our children so excited that Easter is just around the corner. And if you are reading this, then you know its just days away. My thoughts today wonder why so many people (in the millions) wonder about rabbits laying eggs. How many are inquisitive about the real Easter story? A man named Jesus came and lived and died so we could be saved from the things we do wrong. He suffered tremendously for each and every one of us, but all too often we choose to ignore that until this season rolls around again. That is the grief of Good Friday. The celebration for Easter Sunday is that God’s only Son was no longer dead. He was risen, resurrected, and resumed his message to many around him. It is because of these real life events that God says he will never leave or forsake us. It is because of this narrative that God says nothing we do will lessen how much he loves us. It is because of this story that each of us has an opportunity for everlasting life. To live forever in the Creator’s presence. It is my hope that whatever your belief, how weak or strong your faith, and whether you have dress clothes or not; that you will go to the house of worship in which you feel most comfortable on Sunday. May the Love of God and the Resurrected Redeemer of the world touch your life and transform your heart this Easter. While rabbits still don’t lay eggs, lives and hearts have been touched and transformed for thousands of years. Happy Easter! Tim Beck is pastor of Kenbridge United Methodist Church. His email address is revtimbeck@ gmail.com.