Easter – The Resurrection of Christ

He has risen! [Mark 16:6]

"Easter in the Garden"

Amy and Amber loved Easter. They loved the pretty dresses and hats they got to wear and all the ladies at church wore. They loved the story of Jesus rising from the dead and the flowers and the candy and of course, the Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts. Usually on Saturday, they went to the one in Central Park with all the kids. Mommy and Daddy always hid lots of eggs all over the house and in the garden.

One of Amy and Ambers favorite things to do is to get up really early on Easter morning and go out in the garden and find all the eggs Mommy and Daddy hid there last night before their parents ever got up. They always surprised Mommy and Daddy with full baskets of Easter eggs already gathered before they even woke up.

This year they did extra good because Amy and Amber got up just before the sun came up. They quickly got into their Easter robes and slippers and tried to be quiet for all the giggling as they slipped into the garden. Mommy kept a huge garden that had rows and rows of flowers and plants and paths that went back to some land Daddy used to dump the trimmings when he mowed the lawn. Amy searched for eggs around the lily pond and Amber near the Azalea bushes when Amber suddenly called to her twin sister.

“Amy come here. I have never seen this path before.” Amy ran to her sister and saw what she had found. It was a new path but it didn’t look new. It looked very old because it was laid in with huge granite stones and it rose like it was going up a hill which none of the others did. Amber was a little nervous about following the strange path but before she knew it Amy started stepping up the stones and moving further up the hill so Amber joined her. Both were very curious about this Easter mystery.

The path wound around and twisted but it was always an uphill climb until suddenly it leveled out and they were in a clearing. “What is this place Amber?” whispered Amy and the girls held hands as they bravely explored further. As they walked in tiny little steps, suddenly Amber stopped.

“Look at that.” She said and Amy saw what she saw. It was a huge cave and there was a massive stone lying on the ground and there was stuff lying around like someone had been here and run away. Just then, the sun peeked over the eastern horizon and at that same exact moment, a light burst from the cave door that was brighter than the sunrise. “Amy,” Amber said with a frightened, shy whisper, “do you think this is the….”

“I don’t know Amber.” Amy whispered back “Let’s go see.”

Slowly they inched forward until they were at the opening of the cave. They peeked around and there He was. Sitting on the edge of a large slab looking at his hands and praying, dressed all in white with strips of grave wrapping lying at his feet, he was preparing to stand up.”

“Jesus?” Amber said in awe, shock and feeling the love she had for him come up. As she said that, Jesus looked at her and smiled a smile that made them know it could only be him and that the love of God was bursting from him.

“Hello Amy and Amber.” He said in his soft loving voice. Then he extended his arms. “Come see me.”

The twins ran to their Savior and jumped into his arms. “Jesus did you just get rose from the dead?” Amy said kissing the backs of his hands.

“Yes Amy.” Jesus answered and they felt the joy that was in him flowing to them. For what seemed like hours he talked to them about how much he loved them and how much he loved his disciples and all sinners and that he came to earth to take everyone who loved him to Heaven.

“Now girls, I must go see my disciples. I want you to go back down the hill to your parents and then go out and tell everyone you know about what you saw here and that I rose from the dead to give them eternal life so they will never die. Promise?”

“WE PROMISE JESUS” and they kissed him and they ran out of the cave passing two ladies who were coming up the path. Then they ran all the way home and there was mommy making her special Easter breakfast. But Amy and Amber never forgot to tell everyone about Jesus and how he rose from the dead to save us. And we should never forget the true meaning of Easter either and tell everyone we know of the amazing miracle of Easter morning.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. [Mark 16:15-16]