MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

The meaning of Easter came home clearly to us on Sunday. New life, which had been anticipated for months, was gifted to our family. She was our 16th grandchild, and already much loved. Then in a matter of minutes after her birth, little 4-pound Vivian Grace passed from this life to be with Jesus, the giver of life. What a day! Born on Easter and reborn the same day. Her life on earth was short, as is all of ours.

Even with the peace and hope we have as believers in Christ, there's still an overwhelming sense of loss. Of what could have been. The blessings. The shared moments. Her parents knew ahead of time that she would have challenges, but everyone had been "all in" as we anticipated her arrival.

There's a song with lyrics, "The same power that raised Jesus from the grave". Twice in his Pentecost sermon, the apostle Peter said, "'God raised Him up...'" and "'This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses'" (Acts 2:24, 32). God is certainly more than a power, and He wants to be more than a power in our lives. The apostle Paul tells us that it is the Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity, that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11). God is more than power; He is life.

In Ephesians 1:19-20, Paul also emphasized the life, power, and authority that the Father gave when He raised Jesus from the grave. He began the passage with a similar sentiment: "We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places of Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). The key is being "in Christ".

With the power of Christ's love, humility, and submission to the will of the Father, Jesus trusted God with His earthly life, and was rewarded with new life. None of us knows how long our life will be. But we can live each day for the glory of God, pleasing the Father, sharing the gift of life. Jesus' passing, and the passing of each fragile life, makes that gift more precious.

Back to Romans chapter 8, Paul wrote more about life in the Spirit of God, being delivered from bondage, and living victoriously in Christ.

The resurrection of Easter answers what happens to each of us when we die: Jesus moved from earth to a heavenly home. Yes, His friends grieved the loss, and there are tears for each one who dies. But we're only here to get there, and each day is a part of eternity. Jesus' way was the most difficult, yet Easter shows us that there is joy ahead. In the meantime, there are others who depend on us to share life with them.

I appreciate the opportunity to share this pause in a series of articles on the Declaration of Independence. Next week we plan to continue writing about steps leading up to the document signed 250 years ago this July.