He Is Risen!

One of my favorite parts of being homeschooled was that my mom never made me do the "stupid" assignments. You know, those assignments that you're teacher gives you, and you just think they're a huge waste of time? Yeah, my mom always skipped them. But once, when I was in about fourth grade, my mom didn't skip one of the "stupid" assignments. I guess she didn't think it was stupid, but I sure did. The assignment was to interview an elderly person. After much sighing and moaning, I chose to interview my grandmother. It seemed to make sense at the time as I am named after her. My first name, Carol, comes from her, not my middle name which is what I go by. Anyway, by the time I was finished "interviewing" my grandmother, I still thought it was a "stupid" assignment. And looking back on it, I still clearly remember her answers to two of the questions I asked her. Just two, but hey, I was only nine.

One question was what is one invention/discovery that happened during your lifetime. Her answer was penicillin. She was a nurse, so it makes sense that penicillin would be what she considered most important. It blew my mind that my grandmother had lived in a time when penicillin wasn't in use. The other question was what is your favorite holiday. Her answer was Easter. I have never forgotten that. At the young age of nine, I couldn't imagine why Easter would be anyone's favorite holiday. I mean, it was warm and springy, and I got free candy. But favorite? Better than Thanksgiving? Better than Christmas? Impossible. Or is it?

Now, eleven years later, I tend to agree with my grandmother. While there's still something more "holiday-ish" about Christmas, there's something even more special about Easter. And the reason for this was part of my grandmother's answer. But at the age of nine, I couldn't, or didn't, understand.

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

What I didn't understand at the young age of nine was the truth made clear in 1 Corinthians 15. The truth that my faith, what drives much was what I think, say, and do, is pointless if Christ is not risen. If we worship an unrisen Christ, "we are of all people most to be pitied." We have no hope. What we celebrate at Easter is the rising of Christ which gives us hope in this life and the next. What could bring more joy than that?


Sincerely,