“’But what about you?’ He asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’” Matthew 16:15

Will the Real Easter Lily Please Stand Up?

Walk His Way Revisited

First Posted April, 2014

One of my favorite Easter traditions while I was growing up was a huge rugged wooden cross that was displayed at the altar of Christ the King Lutheran Church. It made its appearance the week before Easter, if memory serves me right. The cross, lying on its side, covered the width of most of the altar space and was thick, heavy and ugly. An undeniable visual reminder of the death our Lord and Savior endured on our behalf. 

The enormous pipe organ thundered mournful hymns such as “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?” and “The Old Rugged Cross.” How sorrowful that Sunday would be. But on Easter Sunday that old ugly cross was covered from head-to-toe in beautiful white Easter lilies donated from the gardens of parishioners. Those flowers were heart-shaped and had a yellow, pencil-like “tongue” in the center. “Wait,” you say. “That doesn’t describe an Easter lily. An Easter lily is trumpet-shaped,” and that would be correct. As a child, I didn’t know the difference. The calla lily will always be the real Easter lily to me. 

Whether the Easter lily or the calla lily is the true Easter lily doesn’t matter, but whom one says is the real God matters tremendously. It is a matter of eternal, joyous life or eternal, hellish life. You see, only one God put skin on and became a man. He lived a sinless, perfect life and paid the one and only payment that could redeem man from that eternal, hellish life. His name is Jesus, and on that glorious day so many years ago, He rose up from the grave to ever live again!

Well, that ol’ pipe organ changed its tune on Easter Sunday as well. It triumphantly proclaimed: “Jesus Christ is risen today. Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day. Alleluia!” and “He lives, He lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.”

Does He live within your heart today? If so, Alleluia! If not, will you ask Him today?

“Dear Father in Heaven, Thank you for Easter Sunday, for without it we are lost forever. Come; live in our hearts today and always. May You forever be praised! In the precious Name of Jesus, Amen!”