Have you had an experience that was so wonderful you didn’t want the thrill and joy to end? You looked for ways to keep the momentum high. You had a strong sense of confidence that what you were doing was important and right. You knew the outward thrill would likely start to wane, but you wanted to maintain the internal excitement so that your life would continue to be better than it was in the past, even when the euphoria was gone.
We Christians had this kind of experience in the past month. We completed our journey through Lent and celebrated the glory of Easter. We reflected on our Savior’s suffering and His great love for us. The victory of Easter is ours, and even though life is settling back into the routine, we want to continue to live in the victory celebration. We aspire to convince the world and ourselves that things aren’t the same and never will be the same again. Today’s passages encourage us and give us ideas to consider as we work toward this goal.
In Colossians 4, Paul suggests we “devote ourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful”. He tells us to “be wise in the way we act toward outsiders, making the most of every opportunity” to be imitators of Christ and praying for God to open doors for the gospel message. When we live as God intends, people notice the difference and are interested in why we’re watchful, thankful, and filled with peace and love. In the midst of people living for the selfish joy of the moment, that type of life stands out. We have opportunities to be wise, watchful, and thankful. Make the most of those opportunities rather than dismissing them.
Solomon reminds us to recognize and celebrate this new life within us. Song of Songs 2 tells, “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.” The inner excitement of spring and life affects how we think and live. We have opportunities to model this watchful and thankful life for others and bring praise to God as we do so.
David prompts us in Psalm 16 to remember that we have a godly heritage to celebrate and live. Please read the whole Psalm and consider how you can live the Easter victory in the context of the heritage David describes. “Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing’…Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Keep the excitement and victory of Easter in your daily life. Pray that you’ll be watchful and thankful, making the most of every opportunity God gives you to live a life of faithful discipleship. Realize that trouble, sin, and hardship will still affect you, but with Jesus, you have won the victory over these things. You have a delightful inheritance and a faith that results in salvation and everlasting life. This thrill and celebration will never end!
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