40 DAYS – RESURRECTION TO ASCENSION
SUNDAY 7 APRIL 2024
The expression “if Easter and Pentecost fall on the same day” may not be possible, but it still carries a special meaning for our faith. Our text, Romans 6:8 “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, ..” reminds us of the Easter events and it is a preview of Pentecost. It is a time of dying of the old self and the birth of a new life.
The Resurrection opens the doors to heaven for us. We are invited to rise from our ‘living dead’ state and to accept the new life in Christ. It is a promise of eternal life, hope, and a changed existence. But for that a transformation is needed, a dying to the self and a rising with Christ.
Pentecost then follows, where the Holy Spirit descends to guide and strengthen us in this new life. It is the power that helps us to live in faith, and to apply the truths of the Gospel in our daily life. It is the inner fire that prompts us to witness, love, forgive, and make a difference in the world.
But to experience these wonderful truths of Easter and Pentecost, we must do more than just listen to the teachings of the Gospel. We must live it, we must act upon it. Our faith must be a built-in part of our life, not just something we emphasize on a particular day of the week.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for the wonderful gifts of Your Resurrection and Pentecost. May we not only remember these days but live every day in the light of Your truth and grace. Help us to let the old self die and let the new man rise in Christ. May our life be a testimony of Your love and grace in the world. AMEN