How was your Easter? · Life Reframe

How was your Easter?

Certainly Easter is the most important day for those of us who follow Jesus. Church, family, Easter egg hunts, dinner, and so on.

But for some, Easter -- as well as other holidays -- can bring back painful memories.

I remember when I was 12 years old. My older brother and I were being raised by our mom in a federal housing apartment. Life was pretty dismal to say the least.

In her best effort, she had the minister of a small local church come to our apartment (fun ☹️) and tell us all about sin, heaven and hell, and the importance of each of us being baptized. By the end of the conversation, he and our mom had decided that my brother and I would be baptized on Easter Sunday.

The problem was... I had no interest in that. I've always been a person that won't just do something because it's the "right" thing to do. Or because someone else is doing it.

So come Sunday morning. There we were sitting in the congregation during the Easter service. At the end of the sermon, the minister gave an invitation for people to come forward to "accept Jesus" and be baptized. In the Independent Christian Church, you get baptized right after you come forward.

My brother got up and went forward, just as scripted. I just couldn't do it. Wouldn't do it. Not sure, but I may have caused a scene when my mom insisted on me going and got pretty upset with me when I wouldn't

Well, I didn't get baptized that day back in 1972. And I'm glad I didn't. I wasn't ready. I didn't understand the message. I was clueless about sin and salvation.

In 1983, when I was 21 years old, I was baptized on my own terms and on God's perfect timing.

Every year since then, when I'm at church on Easter Sunday, those memories come back to my mind (and emotions). My honest emotions at that time are sadnes. Mainly for how pathetic my upbringing was. But also joy and inner peace that Jesus continued to pursue me til I finally surrendered to his love and grace over a decade later.

What's your story?

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How was your Easter?