After Easter, now what? So much work, emotion, and worship have gone into celebrating God’s grace and love in Jesus the Christ, and the significance it holds for us, we may wonder, ‘What next?’ As for myself, I want to sleep. But just for a short while! Fortunately, there is more… much more. I want to continue celebrating and enjoying the love of God in each of us and throughout the splendor of the Lord’s work.

This year, Earth Day followed Easter by less than a week; drawing my attention to the beauty of God’s continuous glory that surrounds me each day. Scripture and Jesus remind us of the care the Lord has put into creating how even the rocks of the earth have a relationship with God. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, some people told him to tell his disciples to be quiet and stop their cheering. In Luke 19:40, Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” In Matthew 27:51, when Jesus breathed his last breath and the earth itself cried out in anguish: “the earth shook, and rocks were split.”

The earth, moon, and stars, the cosmos, Creation, what we see and what we do not are all part of God’s grace. It is by the essence of God’s will and love that all was made and ever will be made. In the book of Genesis, we read of creation coming out of the very word or breath of God. We read that God looked at it all and declared it to be good. We use our senses, our mind, and the teachings of the natural sciences to help us understand who we are, and where we are in this life. But the most important information we have is our faith. A faith that tells us that we are all made by the one and same God. That Jesus is renewing all things, including ourselves. That the world is in communion with our Creator in ways we do not understand. The beauty of the earth is a gift of God, and it is good to stop and consider the work of divine hands. And most of all, you and I are loved by God. Easter is not over. Easter is just the beginning! Join us Sunday and let’s celebrate and worship together!

May the Grace and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

Pastor Rick