We Can Arise Because He is Risen

GUEST COLUMN

By Rev. Dr. Paul Irwin
President, American Bible Society

NEW YORK, March 12 /Christian Newswire/ -- I remember a time in my early ministry when Easter truly came alive for me.

It was a snowy Easter Day in Massachusetts and I realized that many would not make it to church to sing Christ the Lord is Risen Today and to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord because of the weather. As I walked up to the church entrance I passed the multitude of lilies along the sidewalk shrouded in snow. The flowers were thrusting through a mantle of white into the morning air.

It suddenly dawned on me that the lilies were proclaiming a great message that has resonated throughout the centuries. The lilies were rising out of the snow and showing beauty and vigor in spite of their circumstances. They proclaimed a clear message that all of us, in spite of our problems, pain and difficulties can raise the triumphant shout of Easter: Christ is Risen!

Easter is about the proclamation of the eternal presence of the living Christ, the daily experience of a living hope. The Bible is clear: those who were distraught found hope. And the resurrection of our Lord and of God's grace has been shared from generation to generation from one person to another and through God's Word, the Bible. Easter is, in fact, a restart for all Christians and a time when we are ready for something new in our lives.

On that snowy Easter Day, the lilies were a profound symbol of resurrection for me. Like them, because of our risen Lord, we can bloom wherever we are.

We can arise because He is Risen!

I invite you to visit easterrestart.com where you will be encouraged to bloom with resurrection joy.

Founded in 1816 and headquartered in New York City, the American Bible Society is a non-profit, interdenominational organization that works to transform lives, particularly among the young, by promoting personal engagement with the Holy Scriptures. The American Bible Society web site is www.bibles.com