WHEN I WAS A CHILD I would get so excited for Santa Claus to drop down my chimney and leave me the coolest gifts ever. Then I found out that the Santa Claus story I loved was only a story. I still loved the gifts my folks got for me.
I also remember walking out into the backyard after church on Easter Sunday to find colorful hard-boiled eggs and chocolate eggs hidden in plain sight for me to find. The Easter Bunny wasn’t very good at hiding stuff. Then I found out that the story of the Easter Bunny wasn’t true. I still ate the chocolate that I found. I don’t remember what I did with the eggs.
Then when I was 12 years old a guy named Jerry Balswick told me about Jesus. He said that Jesus died on a cross and then rose from the dead so that I could have eternal life. By this time I was a little skeptical of these kinds of stories. Santa ended up not being real, the Easter Bunny a phony and now I’m supposed to believe that Jesus rose from the dead! I fell for the first two fairy-tales but would I fall for the Jesus thing? The answer is yes.

Why? Well, I knew that this was no make believe story. The words that Jerry shared with me were from the Bible. The words were written so long ago but hit me as though someone wrote them today just for me. That day, August 19, 1974, I saw myself in the Bible. I needed the hope it offered. Besides, something inside me told me what Jerry was explaining had to do with my soul and eternity, not just presents under a tree, or a fun Easter egg hunt. What Jerry was sharing with me could change my life forever.
So I took a risk, and forty years later I’m here to say I’m glad I did. Jesus did more than change my life; he became part of my life. This was not a church thing it was a life thing.
So today when I celebrate Easter and Christmas I still participate in what I now call the “pretend side” of these celebrations. It was fun for me as a kid and I don’t want my kids to miss out on something that I enjoyed as a child. But I know the difference.
I know that Jesus was there at the creation of our world. I know that Jesus was born of a virgin. I know that He was tortured and crucified. And I know and believe with all my heart that He rose from the dead. The Bible tells me that Jesus is my salvation. I know that Jesus in no fairytale. He is the only Son of God!
Speaking of “Son of God”, have you seen the movie? It is awesome, I highly recommend it. But even more than that I highly recommend that you give Jesus a chance to be in your life. Come and celebrate the ‘Real Part’ of Easter with me on Saturday night, April 19, at LightHouse Family Church.
Shine the Light,