As

our month of reflecting on living as Easter people comes to an end,

we know that our time of actually living as Easter people will

continue. For we are still waiting for Christ’s return.

Though

the effects of sin still harm and damage our world, we can live each

day in the confidence and hope of knowing that God loves us and will

never leave us. God is love, and his love is perfect, true, and good.

We continue to persevere through struggles and trials, leaning into

God, growing in our relationship with him through the Holy Spirit,

wrestling with the difficult tensions in the world, and letting God

lead us by his love. And even as we wait with expectancy and cry out

for Christ to come again soon, we seek to live in all the joy, power,

and freedom that the resurrection offers. The instructions Christ

gave to those first witnesses remain the same for all who claim the

resurrection today: “Go and tell the good news that Jesus is

alive!” (see Matthew 28:7, 19).

Remembering

with joy that “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” let us give

thanks and praise the Lord for all he has done: “To the only God

our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus

Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”