Back in the day, way way back, the ward I grew up in held an
annual Easter Egg Hunt for the Primary kids out on its grassy, sloping lawn on
the day before Easter Sunday. One year stands out in my memory. We
gathered before the event and they revealed a huge chocolate bunny that would
go to the lucky finder of the egg marked with the gold X. I don’t know why, but
I just knew in my heart that I was winning that chocolate bunny.
I didn’t care that I was wearing the play clothes I had on that Saturday instead of a pretty Easter dress like some of the girls, and
that I had a home made Easter basket. All I cared about was that prize.
Since I was old enough, I ran off on my own to gather what
eggs I could, and, more importantly, to find the egg with the X. I still remember
the nervous energy I felt with each egg I picked up.
Then I heard a shout. Just ahead of me was a little girl and
her dad. “We found it!” he said. “We found the egg with the gold X!”
It was right ahead of me. A few more steps and it would have been
mine.
I fought back bitter tears at the presentation of the chocolate
bunny to that little girl (I mean, what was she, two years old?). I remember
her frilly pastel dress and bonnet and the fancy store-bought basket at her
side. Despite the eggs and candy I had collected, I left the Primary activity
feeling empty-handed. It was so unfair. Her dad had found the egg and he would
probably eat most of the prize.
It took me a long time to realize that my Easter grudge was
as hollow as that chocolate bunny I had hoped to win. What was everlastingly
more important than the hunt for candy eggs and chocolate bunnies was what I
learned about the Savior in the church building next to the grassy lawn. It’s true, back then we did sing songs in
Primary with titles like Horsey, Horsey,
Rags the Dog, and Mean Old Witch With a Hat (I'm totally serious!) but we also learned the stories of Jesus. We
learned that He loves us. He died for us and rose again in a glorious
resurrection.
Easter is all about not finding something. Not finding the body of Jesus Christ in
the tomb on the third day. I remember as a Primary leader giving children empty Easter eggs symbolizing an empty
tomb. Egg-shaped candies and chocolate bunnies last only a moment, but the
events of that First Easter Morning and its message of love, hope, and
redemption are of infinite value: He is
not here for He is risen.
True, Christ was not found in the tomb, but He was found. He
was found by Mary after His resurrection. Before that He was found on the cross
giving His life for us, and even in the final moments of His life, teaching the
prisoner who hung at His side about the plan of salvation. Before that He was
found in the Garden of Gethsemane, offering Himself as a ransom for that same
prisoner’s sins, and for all of our sins too.
And today, as you seek Him, He will be found.
And today, as you seek Him, He will be found.
+This story was originally told as part of a talk I gave in the Noble Ward on Easter Sunday, April 2019+
No comments:
Post a Comment