More Than Enough
Read Psalm 16:8-11
I made a quick grocery run last week. As I dashed through the store, focusing on getting the essentials on my list as quickly as possible while staying six feet away from the other masked shoppers, gigantic wrapped Easter baskets caught my eye. Their cheerful colors and festive contents seemed a strange juxtaposition with the chaos, anxiety and toilet paper angst surrounding me.
Easter feels so different this year. Typically on our church staff, the weeks before Easter are a frenzy of activity as we work hard making sure that ticketing, lobby decorating and volunteer recruitment all goes smoothly. This year, there is none of that.
I’m feeling the loss in my family, too. No large family gathering, sharing a meal and laughter around the table. No egg hunt with all the cousins. No inviting friends over to share in making Easter treats. It feels like our world has been turned upside down. I chatted with a friend last week, a mama of little ones, who shared that many families in her circle are struggling to make Easter feel special for their kids this year.
But here’s the thing. Easter is already special enough. Sometimes it gets lost, buried under marshmallow chicks, chocolate bunnies and plastic eggs. There is nothing wrong with the traditional Easter festivities. But there is a beauty in the simplicity this year. What feels like a loss is actually an opportunity to strip Easter down until we are left with what truly matters – the cross and the empty tomb.
Jesus’ followers felt loss too. In less than 24 hours, they lost their teacher, their leader, their friend and their purpose. Their world had been turned upside down. But only a few days later, they were filled with joy. Their Lord was alive!
In his prophetic psalm about the resurrection, King David says, “in your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). The cross and the empty tomb make our fullness of joy possible. Jesus’ crucifixion meant decisive victory over sin and death. His triumphant resurrection broke the power of death forever.
This is Easter. Even if we can’t be together to celebrate, our Savior lives! And so can we. It’s more than enough.
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