Happy Easter! Below is a poem that I will be sharing in our online service today. It was written by my mum when I was just ten years old – I discovered it after she had died, which makes it all the more special to me. She is in the place that Jesus prepared for her, enjoying ‘light, joy, peace and eternal gladness’. What a future we have to look forward to!

Jesus, the Son of God,
Laid in an empty tomb.
A cold, dark, lonely place,
Reminder that when life is done
We go just as we came, with no possessions.
All we enjoy while we live out our span
Is gifted from our loving heavenly Father
The greatest gift He ever gave
Was Jesus, God made flesh
And man destroyed His human flesh,
And thinking ‘twas the end of Him
Laid Him to rest, deep in that tomb
And, just in case of trickery,
They rolled a stone, and set a guard to watch
If it had ended here,
What purpose would there be in life?
To live a span and then into a tomb?
But God, our wondrous Lord, divine creator,
Could never be restrained within a tomb
And, following, that dark and dreadful
Day of crucifixion
Comes the glorious day of resurrection joy
He rose, He walked and talked and shared
With those who loved Him
And then He went once more to reign above
Where now He has a place prepared for you and me.
So, take no thought for earthly possessions
Nor, even what you eat, or what you wear,
Our heavenly Father will supply all earthly needs,
And at the end
No empty, lonely cold and solemn tomb
But light, joy, peace, eternal gladness.
Let’s join our Saviour,
Resurrection Joy!