Easter Talk…

…here is HOPE.

This is a talk I gave on Easter Sunday 2019. At the end of my talk I ended with my testimony by singing Here Is Hope. The lyrics are included here - but the Rob Gardner recording is incredibly beautiful. Completely worth the listen.

In order to talk about what I know and how I feel about the Resurrection - I need to share a little about my spiritual journey. 

There comes a time in each of our lives where we need to do what I call “rebuild our spirituality”. That action, that rebuilding, looks different for everyone. The catalyst for spiritual rebuilding is individual. Rebuilding our spirituality allows each of us to learn, grow, listen, find, change, but most importantly choose. I can only speak and share what that rebuilding looks like for me.

From my earliest memories, I have created a spiritual tower — and in my mind it looks like a tower built with the wooden building blocks from kindergarten — labeled with testimony, Holy Ghost, temples, prophets, tithing, family, love, Heavenly Father, Jesus, modesty, right/wrong, perfection, judgement, service, and selflessness — and so many others. 

For the most part, this original tower has served me well, until it wasn’t — until I didn’t really know what I had in my tower, why it was there, or how I was using it. 

It tumbled - the whole tower crashed down to the ground. What I had known about my spirituality was scattered - every piece was upended and in disarray. I felt lost, abandoned, disillusioned, and spiritually weary. 

I didn’t know the perfect answer to my spiritual disaster, I didn’t know where to start healing, and I didn’t know if I would be successful if I tried. Through all the worry, there was one thought that kept me from running away and ignoring those blocks all over the ground.

HOPE in Jesus Christ.

“He is not here; he has risen, as he said.”  — that is HOPE is Jesus Christ.

“He is not here, BUT is risen.” — that is HOPE in Jesus Christ.

This HOPE in Jesus Christ has given me the courage to start to rebuild my spiritual tower with Jesus Christ as the foundational piece. And HOPE being the very next block.

I’m sure some of you are thinking — duh — of course that is the way to do it — we talk about it, we sing about it, we should know that. Jesus Christ is our sure foundation.

Sure, maybe I did know it — but did I feel it. Did I feel the peace, strength, and HOPE that only the Savior of the world can provide? 

That is why rebuilding my spiritual tower now is so different, I’m using my agency to choose where the pieces go, and to choose what is most important to me. I’m using personal revelation to feel and understand and build a spiritual tower that is all mine. It doesn’t look like anyone else — and that’s the way it should be.

With that new spiritual tower in my mind and with Jesus Christ as the foundation, I looked at both the word Resurrection and the event of the Resurrection. How did I feel about the event? What was the most important part to me?

The story of the Resurrection is beautiful and engaging and I loved the account in Jesus The Christ. I have never even cracked that book open, fearing that the big words and details would be overwhelming to me and I would learn nothing. I took Phillip’s advice and read most of Chapter 37, The Resurrection and the Ascension. Try it. It’s not too much. It paints a story of love, kindness, compassion, sisterhood, brotherhood, but most of all HOPE.

For me, the soldiers and the angels at the tomb tell of HOPE. 

The women coming to anoint the body of Jesus, but finding nothing but an angel of God speaks of HOPE. 

The disciples rushing to the tomb to find only pieces of cloth looks like HOPE. 

Sweet Mary staying behind to mourn her loss, but being comforted by angels shows HOPE. 

Jesus Christ showing so much love and compassion for Mary - “Woman, why weepest thou?” he asks — then showing himself to her to ease her broken heart — that is a PROMISE of HOPE.

The Resurrection equals HOPE. The Resurrection is the pure love of our Savior -- to us. In my mind, when I hear or see the word resurrection, I only see the Son of God, loving us unconditionally. I see his face and feel his love and HOPE.

The HOPE of the Resurrection can be testified to each of us in many different ways. It’s uniqueness and individuality, is what makes the Resurrection of Jesus Christ so beautiful, so poignant, so sacred to each of us.

If you have lost a child or a spouse — the HOPE of the Resurrection can bring you comfort.

If you have suffered at the hand of another — the HOPE of the Resurrection can bring you healing.

If you are struggling with depression or anxiety — the HOPE of the Resurrection can bring you guidance.

If the confusion between culture and doctrine is causing doubt and heart anguish — the HOPE of the Resurrection can bring you peace.

If you are looking for answers — the HOPE of the Resurrection can bring you knowledge.

If you are fighting to learn of the power of agency — the HOPE of the Resurrection can bring you strength.

If you are beginning to believe that you have value, that you are worthy just like you are — the HOPE of the Resurrection can bring you love.

That’s what I know on this Easter Sunday — HOPE in Jesus Christ will save us.

I KNOW that the Savior of the World loves each one of us, today, right now, exactly how we are. The HOPE he provides will help us to rise when we fall, feel when we are empty, love when we are in pain, and find a glimmer of hope when we feel all is lost.

We can feel his hope today, HERE.

As part of my spiritual rebuilding I have looked for ways to feel the Savior more in my life. I’ve been searching for signs of HOPE to help myself connect it all together in my heart. In Rob Gardner’s Lamb Of God, there is a beautiful song sung by Mary, the mother of Jesus entitled — Here is Hope. As I listened to his concert last week, the words of this song touched my soul and made HOPE come alive for me. Not only is this song talking about the love and sacrifice the Savior made for us then - but I also think it can apply to the here and now. 

Here is HOPE. HERE the Savior can heal our sorrows and carry our burdens. He and the HOPE he brings is our victory. Here, today, the resurrection of the Savior of the World can bring us light and life. 

He is HOPE. 

Here is HOPE.

Here is Hope - from Rob Gardner’s “Lamb of God”

He who healed our sorrows

Here was bruised and broken.

He whose love no end knows

Here was forsaken,

Left all alone.

Here despair cries boldly,

Claiming this its vict’ry.

Sweeter peace enfolds me:

Hope did not die here,

But here was given.

Here is Hope.

He who was rejected,

He knows well my longing

He, so long expected

Carried our burdens,

Bore ev’ry sorrow:

Here, here, here is Hope!

Spoken:

Here is love unbounded,

Here is all compassion,

Here is mercy founded!

Hope did not die here,

But here was given;

And ours is the vict’ry.

Here is Hope.