Tomorrow is Easter Sunday

One of the things about rediscovering Christ as an older man is that a lifetime of wisdom has been accumulated. Again, before my fall, I was a deacon, so I was no babe in Christ at the time. As such, I expected that old Accuser to attack once I gave my life back to Jesus. And that old snake has been at it pretty hot and heavy.

First, I went through a three-week bout of one of the worst cases of bronchitis I have had in my lifetime. At one point, my wife had to drive me to the hospital because I could not get any air at all. Three IVs and two lung treatments later, they sent me home.

Like many places, we've had a really long winter. And since I live in northern Maine, we also got blasted with snow. While it has not gotten real warm here yet, we have had quite a bit of melting and then a pretty good rain. Flooding has been an issue around here. I have had some water in my basement despite my sump pump going nearly full time. So there was that.

And now, my wife has gone away for a week to visit her son and her granddaughter and I am feeling lonely and a bit blue. My daughter went downstate for the week, so it will just be me for the holiday.

One of the things to figure out with my new walk is where to go to church. I cannot really go to my old one, though that is home to me, because that is the home church of my former wife and her husband. And that is their home and I don't want to be a problem. Besides, I will not ever be in a position where I can do anything meaningful of ministry there. Maybe that is untrue, but that's how I feel.

So where else? I want a church where the Holy Spirit is working. But I am not comfortable in the Pentecostal or Assemblies churches. That takes things further than my comfort level. I don't want a church that is just going through the motions and I certainly don't want a church where the message seems more focused on what not to do and rules rather on preaching the Gospel.

I probably won't go anywhere tomorrow. I need to be disciplined though and spend a good chunk of my time worshiping. It would just be more joyous if that worship was in a group.

I also have problems with Easter as a holiday. The holiday was basically a pagan holiday the church took over in the earliest centuries of its existence. If the day were to be really celebrated correctly, it should begin around the time of the Passover because that is when the Bible tells us the events actually occurred.

And besides, Christians and the church should be celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ every day and every Lord's Day since that is the core belief in who and what we are and what we have to tell to the world.

As a new creation in Christ, the Accuser is trying to take away my new joy. And while that joy has been tested and my prayer life has suffered some, I will not go back on this second chance God has given me. The Lord is good and greatly to be praised.

And I thank Him that he has called to mind a hymn I have been singing all week that says it all for what is our hope and our salvation:

Up from the grave He arose
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain 
and He lives forever with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah Christ Arose!