I was a student at the
Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and it was my first Easter away from home. Due to a 5-hour distance between school and home, and the need to save money, I wasn’t able to go home for the weekend (Spring Break and Easter did not fall in the same week that year). So, I had no family to be spend Easter Sunday with (more appropriately called
Resurrection Day for Christians). Honestly, Easter was no big deal to me at this time. I had become calloused to its meaning. It was spending the Holiday alone that bothered me the most. I wouldn’t have minded staying at school so much if I had been surrounded by my friends; but they had all found someplace else to go, so I was feeling lonely and depressed. I later found out, being alone that day was what I needed. It taught me a surprising, yet valuable, lesson about myself, and helped me have a better appreciation of Christ's love for me.
During my time at school, I normally attended a church with my closest friends but, since none of them were available that weekend, my neighbor invited me to go with her. I accepted her offer and was excited about having some company. Besides that, her church was having a pancake breakfast that morning.
"Why not?" I thought. So, I finished getting ready and knocked on her door. It was disappointing to find she had overslept and couldn’t make it to the church bus on time. The church service I usually attended had already begun by that point, and I felt like staying in my room and not going to church at all. However, something kept pulling at me to go ahead and take the bus to my neighbor’s church. Finally, since I was already dressed, I decided I would go ahead without her.
At church, I sat at a table eating pancakes with other college students I barely knew. I felt out of place. I finished eating, then headed upstairs to the sanctuary, arriving earlier than most of the others. I took a seat near the back and waited for the service to begin. As I sat there, I noticed a big, square, stained glass window at the front of the church. The framed window embraced an array of beautiful colors consisting of blue, yellow, green and red. Under other circumstances, it would have been interesting to me. However, I hate to admit it, I was still feeling sorry for myself and didn’t pay much attention to it. It was just a window.
The service began like any other service, with prayer and singing. I went through the motions with no real joy in my heart. But, then, my attention was sparked when an unexpected performance took place at the front of the church. The story of the
"Ragman" was read by a student and dramatized by several others in pantomime style. To be brief, the story was about a man (symbolizing Christ) who traded his new, clean rags for someone else’s old, dirty rags. As he took a dirty rag, he also placed upon himself whatever infirmity that person had - a broken heart, a bleeding wound, a missing arm, or a fatal disease. Finally, the ragman entered a garbage dump with all of his dirty rags.... and he died.
It was during the telling of the ragman’s death that, for some reason, I was drawn to look up at the stained glass window again. This time, I was surprised to find myself focusing in on all the pieces of red stained glass. What I saw amazed me. I must have been blind not to have noticed it before. All of the red pieces were centered in the window and came together to make a cross. A beautiful red cross, symbolizing the one which Christ had been nailed to. He hung on a cross and shed his blood for the forgiveness of sins, all out of love. At that point, I realized how calloused I had become to the meaning of Easter (Resurrection Day). My vision was blurred as hot tears filled my eyes. The Lord’s presence surrounded me and I no longer felt alone. I knew the Lord was there with me, and had been the entire time. The reality of Christ's death and resurrection was once again renewing my soul.
When I left the church that day, I was a different person. All I could think about was the cross in the window, an unforgettable surprise. The sight of it made me realize how easy it is to take Christ's love for granted. This realization helped me understand the importance of celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not just another day. It's a special day that helps us reflect on the Lord and what He did for us.
As Easter comes around this year, I hope you don't think of it as "no big deal." Instead, realize that Easter helps us remember the biggest deal there ever was.
