By Ralphine Major

It was the day before Palm Sunday.  I stepped outside to a beautiful Saturday morning.  Birds were singing!  The sun was coming up!  It seemed the entire landscape had turned green overnight.  Signs of spring were everywhere!  Everything felt normal—almost.

As I opened the car door, my mind raced back to reality and the task at hand.  A quick trip to the grocery store was once so simple.  Now, it is so different.  Before going shopping, we must arm ourselves with hand sanitizer, face masks, and gloves.  Instead of Easter merchandise being swept off the store shelves, it was the paper goods and cleaners in high demand.  Shelves that were once stocked full of the coveted items were now empty.  Afterwards, a trip to the church cemetery to put Easter lilies on our father’s grave completed the list of Saturday activities.  Then came Easter Sunday.  Church pews were mostly empty on the most important day of the year.  Online and television church services were in full force as worshipers found ways to celebrate our risen Lord while social distancing.  Even if some of the places are soon opened up, leaders are still urging us to use social distancing as well as wear masks and gloves for some time.  While our world has changed drastically, there is so much that has not.

The Easter message is still the same.  The tomb is empty.  Jesus rose from the dead.  He’s alive!  Not even a deadly coronavirus can change that!  Be blessed with the hope that Easter brings to us today and always!

Be encouraged by the words in Psalm 91:1 (NIV): “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”