“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:25 NASB

Throughout creation we can see a central theme, over and over again. There is a seed. That seed is put in the ground. It dies, as a plant springs up from it and pushes through the earth.

When that plant is fully grown it produces many, many seeds that create future harvests. In order for the future harvest to come, there had to first be a death.

Death is common to man, and the fear of death has throughout history held mankind in its bondage.

When Jesus was taken by the Romans to be crucified, His disciples were terrified. The One they had seen cast out demons, heal all the sick, and even raise the dead, was put on trial, found guilty and put to death. Their world was going to pieces. Nothing made sense anymore.

(Do you ever feel that way, in these terrible, topsy turvy times we now live in?)

Praise be to God. We know the One who has conquered the grave. We know the One who has conquered death. The One whose power rolled the stone away from the tomb. The One who brought Life from Death. He invites us to join with Him in a fearless pursuit of a future free from the bondage to fear.

In this Easter/Lenten season we share a time of reflection, and of putting to death the things in our lives that are hindering us. Hindering our prayers. Hindering our freedom. Hindering our love. Hindering our ability to make decisions with clear thoughts. There are so many distractions to grab our focus from the One who has the Answers. The One who holds life. The One who IS Life!

Jesus brought life from death. As we allow the things in our lives to die that are not helpful, that are holding us back from living fully in that resurrection joy, His grace causes new life to spring up all around us. These are the great and mighty promises that hold us.

The Resurrection is the true center for all human history. For it was the day that Love Came Down and rescued us, triumphing over the one thing that held our hearts in bondage to fear.

Thank you, Jesus, that You bring life from death. Thank you that You live forevermore, and in You will live and move and have our beings. For You are the Author of Life. Amen.

~ Debbie Ecker