Because HE LIVES!

Oh how I love Easter!

Today in church we sang the song “Because He Lives.” I have sang that song what seems like 1,000 times, yet each time it strikes me in a different way. This time, it struck me in a few different ways and I really want to share them.

First, someone who I went on the Dominican trip was standing behind me, leaned over and said that Esperanza CRC in the DR is probably singing this song too today! While we were down there, the people sang it in Spanish/Creol, and we soon realized we knew the song too, so we joined in, in English. It was SUCH A BEAUTIFUL sound! It was just a glimpse of heaven to me – though we will understand what each one is saying though.

Here are the lyrics to the song:

God sent His Son – they called Him Jesus;

He came to love, heal and forgive.

He lived and died to buy my pardon;

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow;

Because He lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,

And feel the pride and joy he gives;

But greater still the calm assurance:

This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow;

Because He lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And then one day I’ll cross the river;

I’ll fight life’s final war with pain.

And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,

I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He reigns.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow;

Because He lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives.

After that person leaned over to me and helped me realize that we were probably singing this along with our brothers and sisters in the DR, I got so excited. Then (the second reason this song hit me), we got to the second verse. It took EVERYTHING in me to not let tears fall! I got all teary eyed because that joy of holding your VERY OWN baby, a gift from God, Dan and I may never experience. BUT, lo and behold….

My third reason this song meant so much, was the chorus. No, I cannot hold my own baby. BUT – HE LIVES and I CAN FACE TOMORROW. MY FEAR SHOULD BE GONE. The problem with that is that it’s not always gone. I fear sometimes what tomorrow holds. I wonder what my life will be like 5 years from now. Dan and I are getting past the point having our own children. But we still have to deal with another surgery. The other night I was telling Dan how much I wish I could just have it and get it over with. Will I feel a lot better? WHO KNOWS – BUT ONLY GOD. HE HOLDS THE FUTURE (not me). Because of that, I don’t have to worry because life is worth the living – JUST BECAUSE HE LIVES. That second verse in the song says we can have a calm assurance that children can face the uncertain days – to me, those are our youth group kids. Parents sometimes wonder how their kid is going to make it in such a tough world without falling into the temptations of it – but all those involved int heir lives, can have confidence because Jesus lives. When I worry about whether they are going to make the right decision, just like a parent, I have to entrust them to God.

I am hoping that with not working at church, I will have more time for our kids. More time to just “be there” for them. I wish I always had the attitude of no fear, but to be quite frank I don’t. Though, I know that is something God is continually trying to mold in me – COMPLETE SURRENDER AND TRUST. Hello Kristin, if God can raise Jesus from the dead, I think He can handle my situation. Oh Kristin of little faith :).

So, this Easter for me was a confidence builder through the song Because He Lives. I feel selfish because it seems I am making Easter about me – but Easter to me is realizing the power of the ressurection and what the ressurection means for us today. The power of the ressurection means death cannot hold the power of Christ back. The power of the ressurection means that nothing can stand in the way. The power of the ressurection says that ALL fear is gone because HE lives and we have NOTHING to fear – no matter what the circumstance.