The girls frilly dresses. The boys suits and ties.
The importance of sitting in a seat for a one hour service, one day out of the year.
See, to me? Easter Sunday is literally like every other Sunday of my life.
It's getting up in the morning, getting the kids ready, and heading to church.
I'm not trying to sound insensitive or blasphemous to the meaning of Easter.
Easter is a big deal. The biggest of deals there could ever, ever be.
Easter means that I serve a God who is alive, as opposed to holding on to hopes of a god who is dead.
Easter means that I don't have to work anymore, or try to be good enough to get to heaven...
Jesus paying the debt that I owed covered it all.
Every thing I deserved to pay? He paid.
Easter means I have eternal life, hope, peace, satisfaction, and JOY.
But if you are just going to sit in a service because you think that is what people are supposed to do?
You are totally and completely missing the point.
It's not a show, people! It's not an act.
It's real life.
It's life that says I can not believe someone would actually love me enough to pay a debt that was clearly and totally mine to pay.
It's a life that says I can not even begin to understand the amount of love that Jesus has for me...little, old me.
I have done nothing to deserve it, and I have messed up way more times than I can count.
But still.
Still. He loves me.
He loves me because He created me, and He not only wants to pay the debt I owe?
He wants a relationship with me!
He want to help me get through my life.
Through the pains, through the struggles and through the joy!
And so the reason I'm not inviting you to my Easter service?
Is because I think maybe it's time you put down those dresses and suits and ties.
I think maybe it's time to stop doing a ritual to try and relieve your guilt.
I think maybe it's time to stop putting on an act.
I think maybe it's time to stop acting like you have it all together, when the truth is, none of us do!
I think maybe it's time you stopped trying to fool yourself into believing that you don't need anyone.
Until you stop believing that you can do it all on your own, you will never see the love of a Savior who says that He will do it all for you.
I mean, who are you trying to kid anyways? You know you can't do life on your own!
It's just too hard.
Sure, you can work hard. You can believe in yourself and you can fight your way through.
But if you want to be able to do all of that and not have to take that pill every morning, or those drinks every night? You gotta get a hold of what Jesus offers.
So you heard me right.
I'm not inviting you to my Easter service tomorrow.
But I am inviting you to my church service next Sunday.
I'll be at the same place, wearing what I normally wear, singing what I normally sing.
Because this is real life.
And much more than a church service?
I am inviting you to stop what you are doing and consider a relationship with Jesus.
I am inviting you to come to the end of yourself and just consider that there's another way to live.
Whatever you were waiting for? Stop waiting.
Whatever you were trying to fix and get right first? Stop trying to fix it.
Just come exactly how you are.
Imperfect...just like the rest of us.
This will be a decision you will never, ever regret.
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