Contemplating Easter

It's a 4-day-week this week, and a 4-day weekend to follow. Our pastors are away at the moment so there isn't a Wednesday night service or kids' ministry, so I can go to soccer practice instead. (Makes sense if you don't think about it...)

I know Easter is early this year, but even so it's kind of crept up on me. Last year I was in the US and over there even Good Friday isn't a public holiday, let alone Easter Monday. I still took the Friday off - but with no church service to go to (because everyone else was working), it didn't really feel like Easter.
The year before that I was in the UK... but on trip to the US doing experiments, so again, I pretty much missed out on it.

I know my pick for a song to sing at Easter, though - Newsboys Amazing Love. Ooh yeah.

I'm forgiven, because You were forsaken
I'm accepted, You were condemned
I'm alive and well, Your Spirit lives within me
Because You died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be
That You my King would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true
And it's my joy to honour You
In all I do, I honour You

That's what Easter is, in a nutshell. Contemplating Jesus' death and resurrection also brings us to look ahead to the future, when He will return. Speaking about communion, Paul writes "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor. 11:26).

Easter is all about a substitionary sacrifice, made by God's own and only Son on our behalf. His death gives us new life. If you haven't received this on a personal level, please let me know - it is the most important thing in the world.