The Other Side of Easter

"Humanity is fickle. They may dress for a morning coronation and never feel the need to change clothes to attend an execution in the afternoon. So Triumphal Sundays and Good Fridays always fit comfortably in the same April week." - Calvin Miller, "The Singer"

Too many of us suffer from what might be called spiritual malaria, alternating bouts with fever and chills, one minute ready to follow Christ to the ends of the earth and in the next moment turning our back on the whole thing. We are hot and cold, both caring and apathetic, sometimes passionate and other times totally indifferent. Faithful one day and a failure the next, this is too often our story, our pattern of following Christ. Our words like Simon Peter's come easily, but under pressure we buckle and betray. We cling to our silver and turn loose of our Savior. We cringe and hide in our upper room lest we be noticed or challenged.

And sadly, such will be our lot and lifestyle until we learn to live on the other side of Easter.