What if Easter Was "Cancelled"?

I ordered a Honey Baked Ham and turkey.
I found the cutest Easter plates and napkins.
I knew the perfect dress to wear at Easter service, the pastel one with all the colors of a basket of dyed eggs.
My sweet mama was coming.
Both of my incredible daughters who live out of state were coming.
And I got Covid.

The Easter dress I planned to wear and plates I planned to use.

If you met my mom you’d think she was in her fifties, but she’s in her seventies, and although she’s super healthy her age group puts her at high risk. One of my daughters is running the Boston marathon in a couple of weeks (I know! Amazing!) and the other is a college athlete with spring games right around the corner. The last thing I want for any of them is to be sick, in danger, or run down for the things they’re looking forward to.

And so, everyone did a pivot. The girls decided to go to my mom’s instead of our house, so at least they’d get to spend Easter together. Our youngest didn’t want to miss out on that fun and decided to join them.

And so we sent the 9.5 pound ham with our son. And Friday morning as my kids were driving towards my mom I stayed quarantined in the guest room (where I’d been all week) with a pile of books and my laptop wearing sweats and feeling exhausted.

Yes, I cried. Yes, I wanted to see my family. Those are real feelings, and Jesus has no problem with us being real with our emotions. But also I was filled with peace that this was the right decision to love my family well. To keep them from getting sick. I was flooded with gratitude for a family I love, who wants to be together, but dang, I wanted to be with them. 

And here’s the thing. God is still good. Good Friday still happened. Jesus, the Son of God, the One who is seated on the throne of heaven still gave His life for you and me out of pure, selfless love for us.

Jesus loves you and me so much. And nothing. Nothing can change that. Ever. 

Romans 8:38

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,  neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

No matter my circumstances or your circumstances I know in my heart Jesus is still for us and not against us. He still loves you and me. His love endures forever. He chose us to love for all eternity. He gave up everything for us.
And nothing can change that.
……..
I wrote all this on Friday, because writing is how I sort through my feelings. And I was feeling all the feelings.

Then Sunday morning I tested…negative. And my husband and I threw our things in a bag and drove two and a half hours to my mom’s house and were still able to celebrate Easter with family. That negative test felt like my own personal Easter miracle, like my stone rolled away from my grave. It literally opened the door from the guest room where I’d been quarantining and allowed me to walk out free. And it figuratively removed the barrier from celebrating with people I love.

The sunset from the guest room where I was quarantined.

On Easter morning over 2,000 years ago a stone was rolled away for ALL of us. No matter what your Easter looked like. No matter what lies ahead of you this week. No matter what that test or email or text said. No matter how your physical or mental wellness feels right now.  No darkness–certainly not spoiled plans or disappointments, or a virus can change that. None of us need to be slaves to our sins or our past or our shame or our fear. Jesus set us free from all of that. Because He loves us. And He invites us to walk out of those musty old graves.
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Jesus is still doing miracles. He’s still flipping a week long bout with Covid to no longer contagious on Easter morning. He still paints the sky in a kaleidoscope of colors every night. He still reconciles relationships and gives people new chances and opens new doors and offers us the exact insight we need at the exact moment we need it.

And so, powered by Christ’s inexplicable love, we can step out of what’s holding us down or back or under and into His marvelous light. We can find joy in the sound of a bird song or a sip of warm coffee or the melody of our favorite song. We can take one step forward. And tomorrow another, heads held high. Because no matter what’s going on in our lives–you and me? We are fully loved by the Creator of the Universe, the Prince of Peace, the Lord of all, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He is risen indeed.

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