A few years ago, hubby and I picked up a package of lily bulbs at the garden nursery. There were three bulbs in the package. Hubby and I assumed the lilies would grow to be about knee-height, so we planted them in the front flowerbed in front of the house.
But as it turned out, the lilies grew to be as tall as cornstalks!
They had gorgeous blooms! But they looked rather out of place growing like three lone tall cornstalks all by themselves in the front flowerbed.
So, hubby and I decided to move them to the back flowerbed where they would blend in better with the plants there. Plus, when they grew super tall, we would be able to see and enjoy their blooms from the back deck.
We waited til Fall … then dug the bulbs up.
We replanted the three bulbs in the back flowerbed.
But when Spring rolled around the next year … the lilies did not come up! Well … one came up. But a bird perched on it when it was just a tender young thing and broke it off.
That year we had no lilies. At all.
It was very sad.
We went from three tall, gorgeous lilies, covered in many fragrant blooms of brilliant fuscia-pink, pale pink, and white … to no lilies at all. It was very sad.
I thought we had lost the lilies for good.
But this year … lo and behold! Look what is springing up to life!
The lilies are coming back to life! They were not dead after all!
There is hope for new life!
And not only that! In the front flowerbed where the lilies once grew, hubby and I evidently missed a few “baby” bulbs … because look what is springing up to life here as well!
I am beyond thrilled!
What I thought was dead and gone … is actually alive and living! There is hope for new life!
This is why we all love the season of Spring so much!
Hubby and I were at the garden nursery this past weekend, and everyone was busy, busy, busy purchasing beautiful flowering plants and bags of dirt to make their homes and yards look beautiful!
Everyone comes to life when Spring arrives! Everyone’s hope is reawakened when life is reawakened in the earth.
And this right here is why we celebrate Easter! We celebrate Easter because of the hope of new life!
Just as people everywhere look forward in anticipation to the newness of life with Spring’s arrival … so also, people everywhere are looking forward in anticipation to newness of life when all badness will finally be gone. When all death will be gone. When all war and suffering will be gone. When all cancer and disease and sickness will be gone.
We long for the time when all will be made new and right!
We long for newness of life!
But our hope fades.
Just like I thought my lilies were gone for good, never to return … so also death snatches away those whom we love and it feels like they are gone for good. We will never see them again. It is very very sad!
But Jesus Christ defeated death! Jesus conquered death!
Jesus is stronger than death!
When Jesus was murdered on the cross (even though he had done nothing wrong whatsoever), he experienced death himself! But Jesus came back out of the grave!
Jesus came back to life again!
In Revelation 1:18 Jesus himself states: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
When Jesus came out of the grave he conquered Satan, sin, death, hell, and the wrath of God. And he now offers freedom from death to us!
Jesus offers to us the victory that he accomplished!
Just like my lilies are springing up to new life, so also every person who accepts Jesus’s victory over death will also experience “springing up to new life!”
Even though we might die, and it might look like all is over (just like my lilies looked like it was all over) … in the same way that Jesus came out of the grave, so also we too will come back to life again!
Whoo Hoo! That’s amazing!
Just like my lilies are springing up to new life and will grow tall and have gorgeous fragrant blooms once again, so also we too will be given a new glorified body and we will “grow tall and have gorgeous fragrant blooms” as we live forever and ever with Jesus!
Thank you Jesus for the hope of new life!
Thank you Jesus for Easter!
