Celebrate Jesus!

Easter is probably my (Ruth) favorite day of the year. I love the Biblical resurrection accounts as well as the hymns…and seasonal music. In the Philippines, we often (shame on us, I know) went to an international church on Easter, primarily to enjoy the English hymns and choruses, the pipe organ playing, full orchestra, special music by a huge choir as well as other groups, English sermon…and then the choir and all who wanted to join them would close the service by singing the Hallelujah Chorus…almost without fail causing tears of joy to stream down my face with the anticipation of our Lord’s ultimate and victorious reign. So…we wondered how our first Easter celebration would be here in Uganda.

For obvious reasons, we attend an English service so that “treat” is ours to enjoy each week. Although, as one would expect, many of the other “special” components of the Manila church were absent, God stirred our hearts with that same victorious joy and thrill of Christ’s resurrection. The first song was “Celebrate Jesus” which vibrates with the repeated phrase “He is risen.” I had to smile as I watched our African sisters and brothers truly celebrate Jesus…with hips, shoulders, heads, feet, and hands swaying and dancing and clapping! Yes, He is worthy to be celebrated with all of our being. And I was absolutely delighted that my all-time favorite Easter hymn, Up From the Grave He Arose, was among the hymns…wow, you add African drums to that chorus and it really resounds with victory! Four members of the choir sang a special number—all in Luganda so we didn’t understand any of the words—but their facial expressions and hand movements, as well as the response from the congregation confirmed that they were “celebrating Jesus.” Our Senior Pastor is in the US right now, so the Assistant Pastor spoke and we have to listen a little harder to understand his English. (As we discussed the sermon later, we were able to fill each other in with what we didn’t understand!) It was especially two illustrations that flooded my heart with joy. He shared that in his lifetime, and he’s about our age, he has experienced three dramatic changes in government and remembers each of the resulting victorious announcements—the enemy has been defeated and a new government is in place. The resurrection was the all-time loudest announcement to the world—the enemy has been defeated and a new government is in place…forever! But he went on to say that even though the enemy is conquered, he is still active doing all the damage he can. Which brought the second illustration. In India, a snake got into a house. Someone managed to shoot the snake’s head—killing him—but his body continued to writhe doing much damage including breaking some windows (which makes me shiver thinking how large that snake must have been!). Yes, Satan’s head was crushed at the resurrection, but he is still writhing and inflicting much pain and loss…but the day is coming when all that will stop because he is defeated!

Yes, we serve a risen Savior whether we live in North America or Asia or Africa or wherever! He is worthy to be worshiped and celebrated. “Thank you Lord, for such a wonderful reminder of that during our first Easter in Uganda.”