Hollywood often allows villains like Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins in the blockbuster movie, ’Silence of the Lambs’ to get away with murder.
A Message of Hope
However the Easter story is much different in the case of the crucified Christ. Many at the time of the crucifixion would have asked why he didn’t use that power to save himself. Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. But the story didn’t end there.
Prior to the crucifixion Jesus clearly feared death and prayed to God to take the fate away that awaited him, however he also added to that prayer, “yet not my will, but yours be done”. His diligent obedience to God’s will demonstrated that he trusted God with his life even to the point of death.
A Victorious Ending
Jesus overcame the world by his unwavering trust in God, and through Him, God provided a way for man to be reconciled to Himself with a demonstration of His absolute power and authority over life and death and all that is evil.
“….In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
What Easter Means to Me
For me the Easter break is a time to spend with my family and to reflect on the things in life that truly matter to me the most.
This time of year is about doing things together with my husband and his side of the family, our kids, my sisters, and their families. Our parents enjoy quality time with their grandchildren as well and we as a family share great meals and have great conversation as we build on the relationships we have with one another. Friends drop in to say hello and for me that’s important.
My husband and I look forward to this long weekend each year. It’s a break from our busy lives slowing us down to a normal pace. Enjoying coffees together and preparing delicious homemade meals to share with one another is always a great pastime. We enjoy our long country drives to the beach and weather permitting we do some Jet skiing.
Breakfast which is usually rushed becomes a huge treat and is a special event. I love how the whole country slows down to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives. Schools close down and kids can be seen playing in parks and riding their push bikes as autumn leaves fall from the trees.
Easter for me is also a time to reflect on eternity and what Jesus did for me on the cross. It’s a time to be thankful for all the wonderful blessings I have in my life including my family and the people in my life whom I love dearly, including the people I work with.
On Easter Sunday the kids become very excited at the prospect of opening up their Easter eggs but the lead up to Easter, the atonement on the cross is always the main focus of our celebrations. Our church services are usually packed with people drawn by the cross.
This year the whole family is meeting together and this makes me very excited! I’m so looking forward to it. I hope you all have a wonderful and safe 2015 Easter break.
Image courtesy of: www.rgbstock.com /Ambroz
Have you thought about becoming a qualified counsellor? It’s a great opportunity to learn how you can extend God's love and grace to the hurting out in the community.
For those who would like to enrol in aifc’s accredited Christian counselling courses we have two intakes per year for courses commencing around the following months:
Enrolment Season - opens approximately 2 months prior to our courses commencing. Enrol online here during our enrolment season.
We also offer two modes of study:
A Master of Counselling course was introduced in 2018.