I went to my church’s Easter Service this week and had an incredible revelation! Let me explain.
Why do churches have fog machines in the building? Is it actually some kind of chemical used to confuse and disorient its attendees? Turns out that it's not. Haze is needed for the LED lights to show, but I’ll get to that later.
First off, what is Easter? Is it all about the eggs and bunnies and beginnings of spring? That’s a part of it, but ultimately it’s a celebration of life!
This celebration has been slowly diminished by life’s struggle for significance. It's seen through social media. Individualism has presented itself in the form of the selfie, and going viral is the ultimate goal of the online experience. Feeling special is a need that must constantly be met. But on Easter, the focus needs to be on the reality of our significance from God’s eyes. We all have the same access to God, and we all make up the Body of Christ!
I needed to come to terms with the fact that the story wasn’t about me, or what I do, but that it’s all about Jesus! John 1:12 tells us that, because God loved us so much, He allowed us to become His children, and accept freedom from sin.
Sometimes the struggle to feel significant can cause anxiety. If I don’t show to people or prove to others that I’ve made it, have I really made it? I’ve become like a tree falling in the forest. But if the Gospels prove anything, it’s that God takes insignificant people and makes them significant. After all, they were never really insignificant, because we are all incredibly loved by God.
Anyway, take the story of David. Arguably one of the most influential people in the Bible, David was sort of forgotten by his dad. He was taciturn and devoted to his flock. But when King Samuel came looking for an heir to the throne, he was led by God to David. 1 Samuel 16:7 says that humans look at outward appearance, but God looks into the heart.
God is really big. Psalms 147:4 says that He placed the stars in the sky and all of creation obeys His commands. But more importantly, even though He is powerful, He has an unending and unconditional love for us.
In church on Easter Sunday, I realized that God allows me to be like the fog in the service. I help God’s light shine on earth. He loves me enough to use me in these magnificent ways through His spirit. I am not small or insignificant; I am connected to the One who says I am significant in His eyes. He has chosen me. And He has chosen you. He loves us, and there is no end to that love. Isaiah 49:16 says that we are written on the palm of His hand, and He will not create another like us.
On Easter Sunday, I realized that Jesus embraced insignificance in order to provide eternal significance for us all!
