Easter

When I reflect upon my Easters of long ago, a single memory always rises to the surface: I was between eight and ten years old, Sunday School was over, and I, along with a group of boys, was preparing to march inside and be a part of “Big Church.” And, then it happened! With the sun shining brightly on a wonderful Florida day, the excited chatter was pierced by the remarks of a tall, thin, balding man. Somewhat a recluse, the brother of a prominent lady in the church, rumor had it that he had once been a preacher. His words fell like a dark cloud on the bubbling happiness: “Boys, this day is always a sad time for me; my little girl died on Easter.” Today, looking back and knowing the pain of having lost a young child, I want to rush over, comfort him and offer hope. Then, when the doors opened, my exuberance vanished, and I made my way inside with two opposing cognitions that I was incapable of sorting out until much later in life: Easter is a time of glorious hope and joy! This unusual man’s hope had been shattered and he was filled with sadness! Nearly seventy years later, I will address this conundrum through the lens of Scripture, my present situation, and our glorious hope.

Lens of Scripture

...if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died (1 Corinthians 15:13-20 NLT).

My Present Situation

Even though l am always aware that Linda and I are near the end of our journey into the “Long Goodbye,” I was not prepared for the telephone call that I received last Sunday morning. A nurse at Legacy Village informed me that Linda had fallen and was being transported to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga; a possible stroke and dislocated leg were suspected. When I arrived at her side, I was pleased to find that she seemed to recognize me as someone special, and was impressed by the fact that on three separate occasions, she pointed upward and pleasantly smiled. After extensive evaluation, no evidence of a stroke or dislocated leg was found and she was dismissed. At that point, her cognitive capacities and behavior were much like they had been in recent weeks. During the drive back to Cleveland, suddenly, her demeanor changed, she began talking in complete sentences, told me how much she loved me, and on two occasions reached over and kissed me.

After getting her settled back in at Legacy Village, still in pain from my recent knee surgery, I went home to rest. Later, my daughter Stephanie and Linda’s sister Cheri visited her and were shocked to find that she was still happily interacting. When asked about her day, she responded, “It has been a different day!” A few minutes later, she told them, “I have seen three angels three different times.” For the most part, her newly found exuberance continued throughout the next day, and then the fog of confusion and inability to communicate once again descended. 

What happened? After a lengthy discussion with her Primary Care Provider, a believer in Christ, I have learned that a brief rally is not uncommon when God is preparing a terminally ill patient for the end of life on earth. My family and I have chosen to accept it as a gift from God:  He chose to allow us to have a glimpse into Linda’s present life and a foretaste of all that awaits her when she transitions to her Heavenly existence!

Our Glorious Hope

Revisiting my boyhood Easter, I am sure that sitting by my parents, I heard an old song that still thrills my heart:

Up from the grave He arose!
With a mighty triumph o’er His foe;
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign,
He arose! He arose! 

Hallelujah! Christ arose!