“Happy Easter! The Lord Is Risen…!”

“Happy Easter! The Lord Is Risen…!
In some parts of Cameroon and Nigeria there is a strong belief that in some families people die and are buried but they go and start a new life in another town. The moment somebody identifies them in the new town they just vanish. Stories abound concerning such. We make fun of it as we say in pidgin, “Die germinate” because we do not want to equate it with the word “resurrection!”
One of the bizzare and humorous stories about this belief is the one a colleague friend once told me. He said there was this guy who died and was laid in state in the parlour while mourners were outside. (Traditionally they do not like to comingle with corpses.) He said it appears that before death the guy was hungry. So while people were mourning outside, he woke up, searched and found some water fufu and eru. He started eating but was interrupted by the sudden entrance of somebody. He quickly rushed and took his dead man’s position on the bed. However they found red oil and particles of eru on his lips.
At one time I encouraged a theological student from that area to take up the resurrection concept as a topic of research. Even though she concluded that it was true, her conclusion lacked backing because all what she gathered through interviews and questionnaires were based on hearsay. There was no evidence of “I saw it happen”* from any of her respondents.
On the contrary, hundreds of years ago there was somebody who died and rose again. There was enough evidence to proof that it happened. And that was the first time in history for a permanent resurrection to take place.
Even Judaism into which Jesus was born had a hazy notion of resurrection. They however considered that a time was coming “when everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. “
What then is the benefit of the ressurrection to you and I? Eternity is for all of us. But those who are going to be part of the enjoyable side of eternity are those “who are wise…and those who lead many to righteousness…”(Dan.12:1-4).
Easter therefore is an open door for all to eternity, but your place there depends on what and how you prepare in this mortal life.
Easter prayer: Lord Jesus Christ thank you for winning the victory over death and providing me the opportunity to spend eternity with you. Amen!
The Lord is Risen: He is risen indeed! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Peace be with you!