This weekend is Easter weekend. Easter is a really important time for Christians. It is a time when we remember the final part of Jesus' life. Jesus' death on the Friday and resurrection on Sunday morning form the basis of the Christian belief that Jesus can give us the gift of eternal life because He overcame death.

I really love that rather than me having to gain divinity somehow, God became human in the form of Jesus, and I can share in that.

I have been reading some of the other parts of the Easter story this week. There was one episode that really stood out for me. Jesus went to the Temple, the centre of religious life in the city of Jerusalem. What he saw was that there was a business running in the place where people from other cultures and backgrounds were to come and worship. Jesus' response to this was one of the strongest reactions we read about to anything in His life. He tipped the tables over and sent all of the traders away.

I think some of that response's strength comes from the idea of commercialising and monetising something for selfish financial gain, which is essentially a spiritual encounter. I wonder whether another part of the strength of the response can be attributed to the fact that some people were being denied spiritual growth opportunities because someone else was making some financial gain. I think Jesus was making a powerful statement to us about the importance of our spiritual journey and the importance of encouraging the spiritual journey of all around us.

At this Easter time, I would like to encourage you to spend some time reflecting on your relationship with God and make a commitment to deepen your spiritual experiences this year.

Have a great long weekend with our kids.

Mark B