Easter is coming up this weekend and I want to share a story from a few years ago. Some would say I am a pioneer, I'm sure others would disagree. I invented something that no one else I have spoken to, has ever considered. I was sitting around a campfire at Easter about to have breakfast. We had some crumpets and I decided to put an easter egg on a crumpet that we were cooking over the open fire. It began to melt through the crumpet and resembled a Nutella soaked breakfast treat. I received ridicule from some of my family, however, when the final product was shown around, everyone quickly changed their minds! If you ask my children what their memories of that weekend are, it was when dad made the easter egg crumpet and let them eat chocolate for breakfast! 

I'm sure there will be lots of children around the world getting quite excited at the prospects of receiving chocolate easter eggs over the weekend! When I think of Easter, I think of times spent away from home, camping by the river. Enjoying easter egg hunts and eating far too much chocolate. I have been extremely lucky that over the years, we often went camping, water skiing and made memories by spending time together. I think of all the sacrifices my family made so we could have those opportunities- it was amazing. As a father now, we try and recreate these experiences with our kids.

To some, Easter is a few days off work/school, eating eggs and not doing a lot at all. This Easter may be different due to some existing COVID restrictions, however, the message is the same as it always has been. We, as Christians, believe and know that Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus three days after His crucifixion. Each year we celebrate Easter to remind us that this occurred over 2000 years ago. That Jesus would be persecuted, die for our sins, and rise on the third day. I try to put myself in the shoes of the people around Jesus at the time, His disciples and followers. All hope would have been lost when Jesus was crucified, yet three days later, He was walking amongst them. Jesus said this would happen but I'm sure my faith would have been tested if I had been there in that time. Going from the sadness of losing someone you love and seeing them pass, to the amazing joy of seeing them again three days later - I am not sure how I would have fared!

Luke 24 (NIV) says it like this -

'On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’

As we celebrate Easter this weekend, I encourage you to spend some time with family, make memories and remember why we have this time away from normality. To celebrate that Jesus was resurrected after dying for our sins. I'm sure a cheeky easter egg or seven wouldn't hurt either.

Have an amazing rest of the week and weekend with your families.

Jason Davis