April 1 – He Lives!

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. The LORD spoke to the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."…” - Genesis 2:15-17.

I've probably told you this before. As a child we lived in a countryside hamlet where, every winter, a local farmer operated a horse-sitting service, and myself, along with two friends, groomed and exercised the horses. There was however, one particular horse that my mother was uncomfortable about. She sensed danger and warned me never to ride that particular horse. I could feed it, groom it, just be obedient to her concerns and not ride it....equivalent to the Lord's warning to Adam - see it, touch it, but don't eat it I, of course, knew better, it seemed safe enough to me. Nothing would happen. I was convinced my mother was exagerating!

I met my friends – with that horse. Like Adam and Eve I told them an exagerated account of what I wanted to believe, (“....but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'"…- Genesis 3:3) and at the first opportunity took my turn at exercising the horse. By now you'll have guessed that mother's premonition came true. No-one else's fault. I, like Adam and Eve, abused my freedom of choice, and I have lived with the health consequences all my life - just as we are living with the knowledge that one day we will all die..

Since Eden, the world too has lived, and will, until Christ returns, continue to live with the penalty of death hanging over it, because of the actions of Adam and Eve. Where was my faith and trust in my mother's love and concern that she was trying to protect me from harm? And Adam and Eve? A couple who every evening walked and talked face-to-face with Christ?

So death with the slaughter of the first innocent lamb, entered what had been a perfect world. A Saviour, Redeemer, was needed, and Christ stepped forward: “ And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." - Genesis 3:15. Our God had to die because we were given freedon to choose.

Where does this freedom of choice leave not just us as individuals, and churches? Morris Venden suggests that “an increasing number of Christians today are depending on someone else to do their spiritual thinking for them. As a result, we are becoming a highly opinionated, confused, and spiritually weak people who are vulnerable to deception and to “every wind of doctrine” blowing about today”.

In His book “God Says, but I think” Morris urgently challenges us, and the church, to prayerfully return to complete dependence on God in every aspect of faith and life – a faith that is grounded and centred on God and His Word, rather than the fickle opinions and experiences of others.

Over two thousand years ago, a weekend like this – Easter Sunday. Jesus crushed death under His feet. His promise fulfilled as He arose from the tomb, a living, breathing body, who walked and talked and picnicked with His disciples before returning to His Father.

His resurrection is our confidence, our assurance, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” - John 14:1-3 KJV All we have to do is make the right choice.

Click, as usual, on the picture to listen to The Gaithers Vocal Group (LIVE) singing "Resurrection".

Hallelujah – He arose!!