“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end. He will stand upon the earth”—Job 19:25 (NIV).
After a harsh winter, the sight of a small purple flower poking its head through the still brown leaves of fall brought hope to my weary soul. It was a sign a new season was struggling to emerge, a sign my Redeemer hadn’t forgotten me.
Although it has been almost 15 years since I spied that flower on a sunny but chilly Easter afternoon, I recall the joy of spending time with my family. I was hiking with my grandchildren and their parents when I spied the beauty of the flower’s fragile petals because it was a reminder of hope renewed with the resurrection of Christ.
Job 19:25 came to mind. “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end, He will stand upon the earth.”
Celebrating Our Redeemer
The sighting of the flower poking its purple head through the damp earth drew me closer to a time in my life when, like my grandchildren, all was right with the world. My grandchildren’s delight in the beauty of the still brown and grey scenery, interrupted occasionally by patches of early blooming grass, made me pause and inhale the crisp air that cleared my head, still fogged by winter’s cobwebs. I couldn’t get enough.
And I recalled that morning’s church celebration of our Risen Christ. Easter lilies graced the altar, a reminder of the new life Jesus gave to the world. We worshiped and praised His holy name.
As we hiked deeper into the woods that afternoon, I was transported back to my childhood days before I was aware the people you loved could disappoint you and before I understood the deep abiding love of the One who never would. Since then, I learned where my hope comes from.
Hope Renewed in a New Life
In 1 Peter 1:21, the Apostle shared the good news about our Easter hope in Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer. He wrote, “Through Him, you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”
In Romans 8:24-25, Paul writes, “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
Hope isn’t wrapped in brightly colored eggs or synthetic grass. It’s as basic as God’s love for us and His promises of better things to come. Our hope is wrapped in the true blessings of Easter, experienced when we put our trust in Jesus and accept the gospel message of John 3:16.
I always love hearing from my readers. Please e-mail me at carol@carolaround.com with your thoughts or visit my blog for more inspiration at www.carolaround.com. If you need a speaker or workshop leader, contact me at the above e-mail address or through my website. I’d be delighted to hear from you.
Photo by Tyler Donaghy on Unsplash