Easter Eve
The world cannot understand why Christians customarily try to give their best to the Lord. Joseph of Arimathea gave his own grave to the Savior. Noble, yes, and it was much like the gift of John G. Paton. He and his wife were missionaries. Unfortunately, when their daughter was born, both mother and child died. John gave his family his best when he buried them with his own hands. And because he was among cannibals, John gave more than his best, by sitting at their graves for many days. Only in that way could he stop the natives from digging up the bodies. Paton said that if Jesus had not been real to him, he would have gone mad.
Why do Christians try to do their best? They do so because they follow a Savior who gave His best, His life, His all for them. Jesus denied Himself everything so we could have everything. It was His best. We try to give our best, because we are acknowledging and worshipping an uncustomary Savior who remains by our side in life and comforts us when death arrives. We try to give our best to Jesus because His sacrifice has made sure that Satan cannot claim our souls. In other words, we love Him because He first loved us.
Prayerful Practice: Dear Lord Jesus, help me give my best to You. Amen.
A Contemporary Custom: In the rush of dyeing Easter eggs and making other plans, take an hour to have an Easter vigil; take time to give your undivided attention to the Savior. |
