Easter is my very favorite time of year. As I remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus, I’m reminded that lasting hope only comes from Christ. There is so much rest in Him.

There are three things I like to do every year to meditate more fully on Jesus and His sacrifice for me. I share them with you today so that you can prepare your heart as I prepare mine…

1. Read

The weeks before Easter are a great time to read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s life and ministry. You can pick one book (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) to read through or pick and choose from several of them by following an online Bible reading plan. If you only pick one idea from this post, let it be reading the words of God about Himself.

I also like to read other books that talk about Jesus’s sacrifice and my response. Two of my favorites are The Cross Centered Life and The Calvary Road.

2. Listen

Music is a powerful tool to engage our hearts and minds with truth. There are so many good songs that talk about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you have a hymnal, grab it and sing songs that talk about the sacrifice of Christ. If you don’t have a hymnal (or prefer not to sing in front of your family), play some songs instead and worship the Lord as you listen to others sing the truth. Two of my favorites are Beneath the Cross of Jesus & Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus.

3. Talk

Why do you know the truth about Jesus? So you can talk to others about it.

Easter is a perfect time to talk with those around you about why the Easter holiday is special to you. I was just able to talk with a couple workers at a local grocery store about this. (Humorously, I told them I loved Easter because it’s when I celebrate Jesus rising from the dead and one of my kids said they love it because of the candy. Keepin’ it real over here…)

I love to take extra time on Good Friday to read to my kids and talk about the sacrifice Jesus made for us. In years past, we’ve made an event of it—packing a picnic lunch to eat outside while reading aloud and praying together. It is a really special time as we meditate together on the God’s great love for us.

But this week is also a perfect time to talk to Jesus.
Tell him how thankful you are for his sacrifice.
Tell him how his love has changed your heart and life.
Praise and worship the One who has given you new life because of Christ!

“Beneath the cross of Jesus
I find a place to stand,
And wonder at such mercy
That calls me as I am;
For hands that should discard me
Hold wounds which tell me, “Come.”
Beneath the cross of Jesus
My unworthy soul is won.”

How do you prepare your heart for Easter?
I encourage you to take extra time this week to meditate on the Savior who has provided you with real, lasting hope.

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