Christ is our Good Shepherd and we are His sheep. Those sheep on the outskirts of the fold can easily stray, being separated from the very person, the shepherd, who provides for their existence. But those in the center of the fold remain close to the shepherd and have less risk of harm or being cut off from him. Am I willing to remain in the center of the fold with Him?
Eastertide is a season of new creation. We are a resurrection people, springing forth into new life like the budding flower that bursts into bloom. In times of desolation, however, this hope-filled re-creation in Christ seems meant for everyone except ‘me’.
The profundity of Christ’s mercy can be life changing if we allow it to sink in. Even when we are left to the natural consequences of our sin, in His mercy Jesus spares us the full impact of those consequences. He permits that which He can later use to bring us back into covenant with Him.
It is a paradoxical truth that between suppression of the past and obsession with the future lies the present moment where grace abounds.
For too many years I merely saw Easter as a relief from fasting and abstaining while I rushed to the freezer to thaw out my favorite chocolate candies! Now instead of chocolates, the paradox of the Cross cries out for my attention.