My View

We all like to win.

And we love winners. Fans exult in the the conquests of their favorite sports teams. We sweat. We work to exhaustion. We cry tears of frustration. We sacrifice. All to achieve a higher station in life.

To win the game, whatever that "game" might be.

Our society loves winners. Our culture is centered around winning, and often we define ourselves and our standing in this world by being winners. Circumstances conspire against us and we struggle to get by, much less win.

Often, however, we don't win. We lose promotions or our jobs. Families are shattered. Friendships are betrayed. We can't beat the disease that racks our bodies.

When we don't achieve our goals, when we can't beat the disease, when we can't salvage a relationship, we certainly don't feel like we have won. That can set the stage for bitterness and frustration.

As the Christian world gets ready to celebrate Easter, we need to hear the message of hope that we are called to in this celebration.

That message is that the victory has been achieved for us.

The sacrifice of the Perfect Lamb calls us to realize that irrespective of circumstances and station in life,we have been redeemed. The open tomb affirms that the victory over sin and death has been won. We share in the victory of the Christ that took on our sins and defeated death when he walked out of the tomb.

That doesn't mean there is no suffering and pain in this life. There will be.

But that open tomb signifies that the pain and suffering isn't the end. There is more.

There is hope.

There is victory.

That is the message of Easter.

And may it be in our hearts every day.