Jesus’ resurrection was an incredible moment. It transformed our lives, our world and eternity. And no one saw it.
The story we read in the Gospels every Easter tells us of the women’s arrival at the tomb on Easter at sunrise, where they find Jesus is risen. His resurrection happened sometime during the night. The women were witnesses—they saw Jesus and talked with him, so they had proof. But they weren’t witnesses to his resurrection—no one was. Everyone missed it. Because no one was there. Because no one was looking.
We, on the other hand, know Easter is coming. I’m sure you won’t miss it. At the least, stores and advertisements will make sure we are all very aware. Still, even though we won’t miss the date—or the opportunity to buy chocolate bunnies and jelly beans—we might still miss Jesus and what his resurrection means for us. Especially if we aren’t looking.
Looking is both a discipline and a skill. It’s something we can do intentionally and something we can get better at if we practice. That’s true of all kinds of looking, including looking for Jesus. One way to get better at this is to observe other things and look for him in them. Spring is the perfect time for that.
As the new life of spring erupts all around us, may it help us see the new life Christ’s resurrection brings to our world and our lives.
Practices
- Designate a “watching spot.” This is a place where you and the young people in your life can regularly sit together and comfortably observe the natural world around you.
- Get a “watching journal” to use alongside your young person. It could be a notebook or just a piece of paper.
- Spend time with your young person at the watching spot recording what you both see.Point out things you know will change, such as budding trees and flowering Record, in a child-friendly way, how things change as the days and weeks go by.
- Ask “Where is God in that?” or “How does that remind you of God?” when your young person notices a change. If answers aren’t coming easily, be patient. It takes time to learn how to have these conversations. One way to jump-start this conversation is to share an observation about something that reminds you of God and ask your young person what they think. You might also ask other open-ended questions (i.e., not “yes or no”) that help you explore together how God is connected to the changes you are both seeing around you.
