He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
This truth stands in human history. In geography and history and time and place, witnessed and attested to. And it is true whether we are gathering in the United States or Europe or Indonesia. The same Lord is one Lord raised from the dead as proof his death accomplished what He said it would – our reconciliation with our Creator. Forgiveness. Grace. Hope. Life.
A blessed Easter to all of you out there, many of whom are only recently awakened and perhaps haven’t even started Easter morning worship yet. Here the day is done. So very different from Easter last year, and yet really, not so different. One Lord. One body. But the body looks and sounds and smells differently in different parts of the world.
Here, the smells this morning after the service were savory and amazing. We gathered at an English-speaking worship service and received a bounty of stir fry and fried rice after the service. The smell was amazing – so amazing we hung around for over an hour to have some! We were able to sneak into the kitchen to see the work in progress, and as in many church kitchens the world over there was a battalion of women at work!
Men were mostly shooed out of the kitchen (as I nearly was, until I explained we just wanted to watch what they were doing!), but the chief chef was hard at work over a large wok. Each year he and his wife prepare a delicious Easter meal for after the service.
Later in the day we were blessed to join the Wood family for Easter dinner. Matt, Kali, Laurel, Eleanor and Caroline Wood arrived back in Medan just two short weeks ago but are already settled back into their home (which is just two blocks from where we’ll be living shortly). We joined them for an Easter dinner of lamb and side dishes, and met friends of theirs – a family wrapping up almost six years in Medan serving through the Norwegian Lutheran Church. I’m not a photographer by nature so I didn’t get pictures of this evening’s dinner. Suffice to say it was delicious!
We pray your Easter is blessed – whatever time you started it! Fortunately there is no moment in time now bereft of the empty tomb or the hope and joy and life it promises to those who are willing to trust that miraculous truth over the empty lies and broken promises of the world around us. We join the communion of saints throughout time and place in singing praises to our victorious Lord. We give thanks for our partnership together with each one of you!
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The Nelson Family Indonesia 