Living in Western New York where it is chilly to freezing from Halloween thru a “late” Easter, we really appreciate a clear and sunny day. Life is always better when the sun is out! Even on a freezing cold day the sun can warm and lift one’s spirit. Likewise, as we approach Easter and the empty tomb, life is always better when the SON is out. Life is only possible through the life, death and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus! Through the coldest of times and wintry seasons of life, faith and life in Jesus warms us and sustains us. On Easter we celebrate the victorious SON-GOD who defeated sin, death and the grave. In Him we have life and growth as His planted seeds in good soil where His Word nurtures us. Life is better and is only possible because the SON burst out of the tomb and arose in glory and victory.
As much as we enjoy the sun with its radiant beams on a clear day, we also know that it is still shining on a cloudy or stormy day. Even at night time, the sun is still out and shining even though we can’t see it due to the rotation of the earth. So, also, our Lord is always with us: in sunny good days and gloomy hard days; during the day and through the night; in big ways like on Good Friday and Easter Sunday; and in small subtle ways that we may not always notice and appreciate. That’s Easter life in the Son!
I am very thankful to you, the members of Trinity. You have been encouraging reflections of the risen Son in your friendships and partnership as the Body of Christ. It has been a cloudy, but not always gloomy time in my life for the past two and a half years. You have been God’s warm blessings to me. I want to share with you a special blessing the Lord has recently sent my way. Her name is Lynn. (I got her permission to share this.) She is a member of Trinity, Bob and Lois Rodgers’ daughter. We haven’t been seeing each other long but even in this brief time we have been so blessed! We’ve discovered a lot of common ground and mutual friends from Camp Pioneer, to our love for the Lord. She plays in the handbell choir which is where I first really noticed her. I love the bell music, but even more now. I wanted to share this new sunshine in my life, so that if you see us together you’ll know and not have to wonder why Pastor is holding some woman’s hand!
God works in mysterious ways! Sending His Son to die and rise again being the most gracious, undeserved and greatest of them all. He also sends His other sons and daughters in everyday life to bless us with His warmth and love!
A blessed Holy Week and a bright SON-shiny Easter!
~Pastor Dennis Krueger