Easter, the death and resurrection of Christ, is an event that altered the fabric of humanity.

Easter is the centrality of love.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. —John 13:35

As I consider the love in the heart of Christ that He willingly offered Himself to be beaten brutally for me and nailed on a tree. I’m moved with emotion and purpose to love others, to forgive freely, to speak life and not death, to include, to be the hands, feet, and voice of my Father. Christ paid a very high price.

The profound implication of Easter is far greater than most believers set aside time to reconcile. Powerful and life-changing gifts were bestowed upon our generation through the covenant that Jesus sealed for us on the Cross. We are honor bound as benefactors of the spilled blood of Christ, knowing who we are and whose we are, to love well.

What does love look like?

Love is longsuffering.
Love is kind.
Love is humble.
Love is forgiveness.
Love is vulnerability.
Love always places connection with another as the highest goal.
Love is brave communication.
Love removes condemnation and releases honesty.
Love is the wellspring that flows from our heart.
Love is laying down my need to always be right.
Love is giving away my heart with the risk of betrayal.
Love heals, love restores, love triumphs and love is our foundation.
Love is everything good from the Father’s heart.
Love restores a single life and love redeems nations.

This Easter, let us lock arms together because we have something our spouse, our neighborhood, our country and this world is desperate to experience. We are the Beloved of Christ, His ambassadors of love, beginning within, then outward to our family, our communities and to the ends of the earth.

I pray you are deeply touched by the love of Christ this Easter. Lynn Donovan

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 & vs. 13 New International Version (NIV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Easter is the greatest love story ever told. And our SUMite Nation is founded upon the love and grace of Christ Jesus.