EASTER 1980

 

Each year about this time, I think back to an Easter that has come to mean so much to Vicki and me.

The year....1980. Day before Easter. A Saturday night.
I had finished a hard day at a pizza restaurant at the Gadsden Mall and was now home with my wife.
Sitting in our living room, we were talking about the next day being Easter and what we were going to do. 
The time was 11:30 p.m.

It was to be our first Easter together since we had rededicated our lives to Christ. Seven years of living outside of God's will had taken a toll on both of us, but now we had begun the journey of following Jesus.
We were in our living room, our sons were down the hall asleep in their beds. Like I wrote, this would be our first Easter and I wanted to celebrate the real reason that put our lives and our marriage back on the right track. I wanted this Easter to be more than new clothes, chocolate bunnies and colored eggs.

In the background, as we talked, was the sounds of WDJC, a local Christian Radio Station, that was playing on our stereo.
The DJ was sharing about his life, the struggles he had faced and how the faithfulness of God had kept him all these years. His story was intense and it was as if he'd forgotten that he was on the radio. He had become a voice that filled our living room and was sharing intimate details of his life before Christ. The misery and the heartache of all the things he tried to fill his life and heart with, seem to add up and take a toll on his life. The longer this voice kept talking, the more we were drawn into his story. In fact, his story sounded a lot like our story. A journey into the darkness of sin, only to be brought out by the salvation that only Jesus can offer a suffering soul.

I remember that his story went on for nearly 30 minutes and the thought of running any commercials or station ID's were discarded. This voice continued to share how Christ had saved him from a life of destruction and a eternity of separation from Jesus. 

The one thing that has stuck with me all these years was the passion this man had as he told his story. The voice we were listening to became extremely excited as he moved into the portion of his journey where God became a reality to him. The thrill of his salvation experience and the desire to share his story with anyone and everyone. He spoke of the life he now has with Jesus as his savior and the Holy Spirit living inside him. On and on....he shared. Finally the voice said..."Well, it's 12:01 a.m. .............Easter Morning. Ladies and gentlemen...........He is risen!!!!"

Our living room was suddenly flooded  with the sounds of Easter Song by 2nd Chapter of Acts. Vicki and I sat there totally mesmerized as the presence of God became a reality while this song played. It was a celebration of the triumph of Christ over death, hell and the grave.. It was one of the most incredible times I have ever experienced. My first Easter celebration as a believer. . 
Enjoy this song! More than anything.....Worship while it's playing.
Let the truth of the resurrection become more than a mental piece of information...
Let it become life and healing and truth and love and grace and mercy and freedom in Christ.!
Why?
Because there aren't any bones in Jerusalem....
He Is Risen!!!!! 
God on you....
mb