[i need Easter for today, not just eternity]

Today's Easter - a day of hope and celebration. A day for rejoicing in Jesus' victory over death. A day for the return of alleluias and remembering the open tomb.

But more than assurance for eternity, God's showing me an even sweeter message of Easter this year. The last 11 months have been hard transitioning from school to ministry. How to balance my time, relationships, personal life, to-do lists and opportunities best is a challenge. How to not lose my identity in Christ by becoming busy for Christ has been tempting. And how to absorb the reality of the world's pain and crap has been the hardest.

But that's what God's showing me about Easter this year. Ultimately Jesus defeated death that Sunday morn, yet more than that, He also gave us a resurrection hope for every day of our lives. If every sin was defeated that day, then every day is Easter. Every day those who are in Christ declare victory over sin - both our own and the effects of others' on us - because the wrath of God has been forever satisfied.

The depression, loneliness and grief? We have victory over that because of Christ. The heartaches, mental diseases and cancers of life? Defeated. What about the unending questions after a suicide? Or the kid who's dad took off? Or the woman questioning her worth and value after years of abuse? Or the reality that we continue to do the things we don't want to do and fail to do what we want to do?

Can we really believe Jesus absorbed that pain and sin too? Can we believe God aches with us in the brokenness of humanity? Can we trust that we have victory over Satan's attempts to tear us down, belittle our value, immerse us in defeat and hold us there? Can we still find confidence in Psalm 27:13 - that we will see the goodness of God in the land of the living?

I mean, hope sounds great when I read and talk about it. And then someone comes to me with an injustice of life, and I'm supposed to tell them it will all be ok? They're at the foot of Mt. Everest with no shoes, food, backpack or water, and all I have to offer is flip flops. I'm supposed to hand them my flip flops anyway and send them on their merry way God? I'm supposed to trust that that will be enough?

"That's crap," was my first response. But as I've wrestled that out with the Lord this year, I have come to learn that in all things I can pray, and in all things I can point them to the resurrection where God didn't just defeat death but also sin and it's effects in the present form here and now. That He also triumphed over anxiety, depression, abuse, anger, grief, identity issues, doubt, injustice and pain that day. Pointing people to the open tomb is what it's about.

No, I don't think God's only intent was to save us for eternity that Easter morn so many centuries ago. I also believe He saved us from ourselves and this world here and now. We can live amongst the pain and crap and yet declare victory over all things unjust, all things ugly, all things sin in both us and others because of the resurrection. We can watch as He persistantly and steadily redeems the earth and its people to their original image after Him. We can find our confidence not in what we have to give but in what He's already done to make things right.

These are the truths I find sweetest today. This is what Easter's about. Christ rose so that those who believe in Him may one day live with God, yes, but Christ also rose so we can live right now, in 2012, - both fully and freely. I don't know about you, but I need Easter for today, and I'm going to need it for tomorrow. Praise God Easter is not just about eternity.

[israel]

Paul asks in Colossians 1:9-10 for God to fill his audience with the knowledge of His will in order that they "may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way." How so? Here's the list:

-bearing fruit in good works
-growing in one's knowledge of God
-being strengthened with His power to enable endurance and patience
-joyfully giving thanks to God who has qualified us to share in His Kingdom

The list translated? Blessing. Blessing. Blessing. Blessing.

Funny how that works. That knowledge and obedience to God's will and Word ushers in blessing, yet often we see it as sacrificial, taxing, noble, "super-spiritual". Like we struggle and wrestle with God when we should be embracing the blessing. Like we think that what we have by picking and choosing which commands we like is so much better than anything He could possibly give through utter obedience. Like we pat ourselves on the back for making noble allegiances to God or singing songs about surrendering it all, but in reality we cling tightly to our plans, our dreams, our desires, our strategies, our rational, our traditions and our appetites for the world's treasure.

I laugh so easy and yet struggle so much with these same things. And I realize that God did good naming Israel "Israel". Real good. One who wrestles with God. The identity we have all inherited.