I love Easter Eggs, a symbol of new life and hope. Our grandkids were here yesterday coloring eggs. What wild colors they came up with!
Eggs remind us that Easter is a celebration of the Resurrection Power available to us! When God raised Jesus from the dead, He demonstrated some of His mighty, unlimited strength.
Charles Stanley wrote, “The Resurrection sometimes loses its powerful meaning with us. We forget that Jesus rising from the dead was more than a mere miracle from God. It was the beginning of the fulfillment of all God’s promises to us. Through Jesus’ resurrection, we discover that God’s promises are the basis by which we can live our lives.”1
God wants us to tap into His incomparably great power. Imagine that – God’s power also available to us! The Apostle Paul said, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.”2
The word for “power” used here is dynamis in Greek.It reminds us of dynamite, a powerful explosive used for specific purposes. God has specific uses for His power in us. Here are just a few.
1. Power to Love: God’s Spirit works in us to help us welcome Jesus to live in our hearts and to grasp His great love for us.3 Jesus showed this love by giving His very life for us and offering forgiveness when we weren’t worthy of it. We, in turn, are enabled to love others, even those we find difficult to love.
2. Physical Power: God gives us physical strength for what we can’t do alone. Jesus said, “My power is made complete in weakness.”4 Sometimes I’m overwhelmed with ever-mounting tasks. But I often pray, “Lord, I don’t know how I’m going to get everything done! Help me to do the more important things first. I know You’ll give me strength to do what You’ve called me to do.” And He does! That’s the “dynamite” for specific purposes. We go “from strength to strength,” as Psalms 84:7 tells us.
3. Emotional power is another gift from God: power for endurance, patience, and joy!5 When we don’t have the will or the way to be kind or gentle, the Holy Spirit will empower us if we step aside. I like to get things done quickly, but the Holy Spirit reminds me it’s not just about completing a task efficiently — it’s also about other people. I admit that I need His patience to work through me, which is, after all, one of the fruits of His Spirit in us. He also gives us spiritual power and self-disciple to replace our fear and reluctance.6
4. Power to Share the Good News: Before going back to heaven, Jesus promised His disciples that they would receive this special power after the Holy Spirit came into their lives.7 It was power to help them share the evidence that Jesus was alive! Jesus was more than a wise teacher – He was God’s Son sent to restore our relationship with God.
God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us.”8 As we celebrate this holiday, let’s remember that Easter is just the beginning of a new way of life for us — a way of living in the power of the Resurrection!
1 Pathways to God’s Presence; 2 Philippians 3:10; 3 Ephesians 3:17; 4 2 Corinthians 12:9; 5 Colossians 1:11; 6 2 Timothy 1:7; 7 Acts 1:8; 8 Ephesians 3:20.