Easter Devotion

Thank you for partnering with ADRA to serve humanity so all may live as God intended — free from poverty and disadvantage.

The year has gotten off to a flying start, and I am certainly looking forward to Easter as a moment to pause and reflect on what truly matters. I encourage you to read the Easter story in its entirety, from the crucifixion through the resurrection. My favourite account is through the gospel of Mark as he shares some great details of the women and angel that first saw Jesus. Some of these details are overlooked with the other gospels, but I like the representation that Jesus was close to women, men and children! You can read Mark’s account of the Easter story in Mark 15-16.

ADRA’s motto is Justice. Compassion. Love. and this is revealed to us through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Since the fall of man, God has been working on a plan to make us righteous in His eyes. But the only way for justice to be served was for someone to pay the price of our sins. This could only be achieved through incredible compassion and love towards humanity.

Justice:
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.'” – Isaiah 56:1

The Lord has promised us salvation from our sins. This promise is only possible because of Jesus’ incredible sacrifice on the cross, when He took on the weight of the sins of the world. Without Jesus and His death and resurrection, there is no salvation. While we wait for His return and our deliverance from sin, He has called us to keep justice and do righteousness in His name.

Compassion:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” – 1 Peter 1:3

Through God’s compassion, we have hope of a new birth. Nothing we do can make us worthy of such a sacrifice. But The Lord showed mercy when He sent His only Son to die in our place, even when we were still sinners. In turn He asks us to show compassion to others (Luke 6:36).

Love:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Perhaps the most quoted bible verse, but for good reason. Let us not grow weary or numb to this verse but rather, let us immerse ourselves in what it shows us of God and His incredible love for us. John later goes on to say that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for another. Jesus displayed the greatest act of love when He laid down His life for the entire world.

This Easter, let us reflect on His sacrifice and His incredible love for us. And then, let us show that love to others, loving our neighbours as we love ourselves.

Thank you for following Jesus’ example and being Justice, Compassion and Love for the least of these. I pray you have time this Easter to reflect on the loving sacrifice Jesus made for us.

Words: Denison Grellmann, ADRA Australia CEO