When the Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Christians at Philippi, he was suffering in chains for the Gospel of Christ. He longed to be with Christ. He longed for the resurrection to come. In the here and now, in reality this side of heaven, he shared in the sufferings of Christ. Christ’s resurrection had come, yet Paul’s own resurrection seemed far down the road.

March is upon us. We’ll spend thirty days of this month still in the season of Lent, the most intense of those days coming toward the end as we enter another Holy Week. We gaze at the cross, anticipating what is beyond it— VICTORY, our Lord, not dead, but alive on Easter, His tomb empty, His grave cloths lying there, the young man (angel) in white giving us the incredible news that Christ is risen. But that Easter day isn’t here yet.

For now, like St. Paul, we share in our Lord’s sufferings. I’ve spent time with members of late whose parents are very ill, suffering, dying. These dear saints of Zion suffer too as they care for them, pray for them, wait for the Lord to call them from this vale of tears. While there are many joys in this life, there are incredible sufferings too. Sometimes they mount up and weigh us down. Sometimes Easter, the victory of Christ, and in-turn, our own victory, seem so far off.

Fear not, dear saints of Zion! Easter will come! Christ has risen and you too shall rise. Your loved ones shall rise. Christ attained resurrection. The Father accepted His sacrifice for the sins of the world, for your sins and mine. Death is not the end, not the victor. Jesus defeated death! That’s what we celebrate each week gathered around Christ and His gifts. He’s giving us life—His life. It’s the real thing, so much so that He promises that whoever believes in Him, even though he dies, yet shall he live (John 11:25-26). That’s an Easter promise FOR YOU!

Remember what we’ve been singing each Wednesday at midweek service, a prayer for our Lord’s presence through Lent and all our days:

Just as we know that Easter will come on March 31st, we know that our final Easter will come too, where we join in heaven’s praise for all eternity, risen and glorified with Christ forever. We wait for both Easters with fervent longing and anticipation. As you wait, know that Christ is with you each and every day. That’s His baptismal promise to you who belong to Him, washed in His blood, united with Him in His death and resurrection. A blessed Lententide to you all as together we await the joys of Christ’s resurrection victory!