I had an idea yesterday that I would get up this morning and go looking for Jesus.  After all, the women did this on Easter Sunday.  They prepared spices and incense and went to properly bury their Lord.  Only, it didn’t work out that way. He was and is alive.

I have been convicted lately there are times when I forget Jesus is really alive.  I think we all have a tendency to sometimes leave Jesus up in Heaven, or even occasionally, just to leave Him on the cross to gain our forgiveness.  While Jesus certainly resides in Heaven and died on that cross to take away the sins of the whole world, including yours and mine, we worship a Risen Savior and an ever-present Lord who resides with us.  He is alive IN us.

So on this Easter morning, I went looking for Jesus.  And the most amazing thing happened; I found Him.  He was not in Heaven and He was not on the cross and He certainly was not in the tomb.  I found Him in the sunrise and, like Elijah, in the breeze.  He spoke to me in the sparrow and reminded me of my worth.  He was alive in the slow, sleeping breath of my children and poured out His reminders of blessings at me as I looked at my beautiful wife and the family He has entrusted to me.  He heard me as a I prayed and spoke His love over me.  My ears and heart worshipped as I sang praises to my God in song.  The trees and their new growth exemplified what He is always trying to do in me (and you) as He prunes and grows something better and more beautiful.

I found Him beside me as I set outside and felt Him pull me close to remind me He is always near.  The small purple flowers below my porch reminded me that He is royal and mighty and worthy of all the praise we could ever bring.  The candle on my patio let me know that He has given me a light to shine for all to see.  It is not my own.  It is His light that must pour through and shine bright enough to all those around me.  The spider webs reminded me of the sin that so easily entangles us yet has no hold over me because He has defeated death and is alive forevermore.

The deck that I sat on encouraged me to believe that Jesus was a great earthly carpenter like His father, but an even better heavenly carpenter who builds the plans of our lives strong and sturdy and secure.  The sunlight is His light that radiates through me and promises to be our eternal light now and for always.  The butterfly is my example that the old is gone and the new has come and that if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation.  He has made us new.  He is making all things new.  Our Risen Savior and glorious Lord did not stay on the cross or in a tomb.  He came down from the cross to live inside of you and me.  I pray you find Him this Easter and every day of your life.  He is alive.