From the Desk of Page Aiken:
For this weekend's publication, I have invited my wife, Maryellen, to share some of her reflections below. Our family wishes you all a very blessed celebration of our resurrected Savior this Easter and beyond.
Happy Easter!!
Given the heaviness of our current events and the multitude of voices already being shared, I have been considering how the apparent darkness of our times might also tie into the light and hope of the Easter message. Like many of my neighbors, my heart and mind have been struggling these last few weeks to grasp just how far the evil of our culture has penetrated the lives of our kids, families, community, and country. I've often found myself commanding my soul to look upwards, leaning heavily on prayer and God's restorative promises.
Even just this morning, while driving around the island, my mind was swirling through many thoughts for this article, sensing I had too many words and not enough organization. As I drove past the Shops of Demere, it suddenly seemed like God just stopped all my thoughts about what to write and gave me a very clear sign. Literally a sign. I found my eyes drawn to a small, hand-made poster propped up on the side of the road, with this very powerful and conclusive message:
"If there's ever an answer, it's MORE LOVE"
Wow, that's really the bottom line, isn't it? There is only one answer. There is only one remedy. I have a dear friend that often says, "Keep the main thing, the main thing"—and what he is referring to is Jesus.
Jesus is the very Person of Love, the love of God the Father, sent to His broken children in order to heal, restore, and redeem them to Himself. The celebration of Easter reminds us that not only did the blood of Jesus atone for ALL of our sins, but also that His resurrection proves God's power is greater than death and anything else the enemy throws at us. As we repent and place our faith in Jesus, our sins are washed clean, and the battle becomes His.
And we are in a battle, friends, to be sure. What we see happening in the world is the outward expression of a spiritual battle against us, our families, and our freedoms. "The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but (Jesus came) to give life and give it abundantly." (John 10:10). Many people are trying to fight this battle with their own natural abilities, words, or power. But the true enemy of our souls is only defeated by the Spirit of Almighty God, living in us as we surrender to Him, and accessed through prayers in faith. We can't go it alone.
While walking on the beach, I watched a mother helping her toddler-aged daughter to cross the tidal pool standing between their condo and the ocean. The water was too deep for the toddler, and the mother had to make several trips across to first carry the various beach supplies (bags, towels, chairs, etc) while her daughter waited on the side. Once all the baggage was relocated, the mom then lifted up and carried her daughter across the "dirty" and dangerous waters to get to the open beach.
This scene reminded me of what the love of God does for us through Jesus. As we allow Him to be Lord of our lives in every way, He gently strips us of the baggage that is keeping us from moving forward with Him, which frees us up to be carried directly and intimately by Him through waters that are dark and overwhelming. Now, a child may have been content just playing right there in the small, dirty tidal pool, but the Parent knows that on the other side of the deep, dark waters, there's so much more to experience—beauty, light, joy in abundance. When we align with His way and get to the other side, we more richly enjoy the immense beauty of His creation and glorious fellowship with Him.
My fervent prayer for our youth, friends, and families is that many will experience a personal and powerful encounter with Jesus, and awaken to their identity as a truly loved child of God. Such "awakening" brings healing to wounds, deliverance from strongholds, and changes individuals and communities as the love and power of God overflows into every sphere of our lives. May this Easter meet us with bright new beginnings and revive our focus on "the main thing" we all need to receive and share - Jesus.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8
