Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024

Uninterrupted Power

“Did you lose power?” “Is your power back on yet?” Last summer, power was a frequent topic of conversation, as strong storms and high winds blew across metro Detroit and through the Pointes. I wouldn’t be surprised if DTE’s outage map had the most “hits” during those times, as many of us scrambled to make alternate plans and waited (not-so-patiently) for electricity to be restored to our homes, appliances, medical devices, phones, the list goes on… It was stressful and anxiety-provoking as the minutes turned to hours and hours turned into days – especially with the sweltering heat! Those times were stark reminders of our reliance on power in our first-world, day-to-day lives – something that we often take for granted. Power – in the electrical sense – is something that we heavily depend on, but its availability isn’t guaranteed.

In a different context, the word “power” is verbalized by my chiropractic office at each visit. After checking for any spinal misalignments and then using personalized, gentle techniques as the patient lies on their back and then on their front, the chiropractor signals when the adjustment is complete – and that the nervous system is “back on track” – by exclaiming, “Power’s on!” Ahhh… More times than not, even if I didn’t perceive any discomfort beforehand, I leave feeling a bit lighter and more flexible. I appreciate this way to “power” my body – and become painfully aware if I wait too long between visits.

Beyond these two examples, though, the power that I’m most grateful for – the kind that is always on and is available to every one of us – is the power of God’s love and grace through the presence of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. What incredible gifts! This Lenten season, let’s take a moment each day to focus on our ultimate, endless “power source” and to thank God for providing it – free of charge, with no strings attached and no “outage map” necessary!

“Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us.” – Ephesians 3:20, Common English Bible

“I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13, Common English Bible

Sara Eardley

 

Here's a bonus, our one entry from Charles Wesley:

Hymn for Easter-Day

Read: Matthew 28:1-10

"Christ the Lord is ris'n to day,"
Sons of men and angels say,
Raise your joys and triumphs high,
Sing ye Heav'ns, and Earth reply.

Love's redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won,
Lo! Our sun's eclipse is o'er,
Lo! He sets in blood no more.

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal;
Christ hath burst the gates of hell!
Death in vain forbids his rise:
Christ hath open'd paradise!

Lives again our glorious King,
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Once he died our souls to save
Where thy victory, O grave?

Soar we now, where Christ hath led?
Following our exalted head,
Made like him, like him we rise,
Ours the cross—the grave—the skies!

What tho' once we perish'd all,
Partners in our parent's fall?
Second life we all receive,
In our heav'nly Adam live.

 Ris'n with him, we upward move,
Still we seek the things above,
Still pursue, and kiss the Son
Seated on his Father's throne;

Scarce on Earth a thought bestow,
Dead to all we leave below,
Heav'n our aim, and lov'd abode,
Hid our life with Christ in God!

Hid; till Christ our life appear,
Glorious in his members here:
Join'd to him, we then shall shine
All immortal, all divine!

Hail the Lord of Earth and Heav'n!
Praise to thee by both be giv'n:
Thee we greet triumphant now;
Hail the resurrection thou!

King of Glory, soul of bliss,
Everlasting life is this,
Thee to know, thy pow'r to prove,
Thus to sing, and thus to love!

 Charles Wesley, 1743

 

 

 

April 17, 2022 – Easter Sunday

UMH 322 – Up from the Grave He Arose

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior,
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose;
with a mighty triumph o'er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior,
Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose;
with a mighty triumph o'er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose;
with a mighty triumph o'er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Robert Lowry

Sunday, April 12, 2020 – Easter Sunday

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today – UMH 302
(audio version)
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!


Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!


Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!


Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!


Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!


King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!


Charles Wesley

April 16, 2017 – Easter Sunday

Now the Green Blade Riseth -UMH #311

Now the green blade rises from the buried grain,
Wheat that in the dark earth many years has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

In the grave they laid Him, Love whom we had slain,
Thinking that He’d never wake to life again,
Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

Up He sprang at Easter, like the risen grain,
He that for three days in the grave had lain;
Up from the dead my risen Lord is seen:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

When our hearts are saddened, grieving or in pain,
By Your touch You call us back to life again;
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

John Macleod Campbell Crum


Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 20 – English Standard Version (ESV)