Overcoming the Blues

On Sunday, Pastor Ron Baesler was talking about the let-down that comes right after Easter. His message included him reciting his original Easter Blues. Being a fellow poet, I immediately wanted to post it on the blog, so… as Jeff Askew softly played a blues riff in the background, this is what Pastor Ron recited to the congregation:

Losing your job? Losing your lover? Gotta be singin’ them blues.
Waiting too long for economy to recover? Gotta be singin’ them blues.
Down in the dumps, takin’ your lumps? Gotta be singin’ them blues.

You know, the blues are music full of tears and sighin’,
Mournful low down music full of weepin’ and dyin’
Strange music, I know, to start an after Easter address
But trust me, this is more than just a pastor’s silly madness

Easters come and Easters go. Has anything ever changed? Does anyone really know?

Most of us got way up for this Easter season
We dressed pretty, did some cheerin’ …and all for good reason
The Lord had risen, the day was bright,
Yes, last Sunday was lily white…
But today sad to say, some of us are singing the blues.

Some of us got the grumps, the down in the dumps, the nothing ever changes blues.
Easters come and Easters go. Has anything ever changed? Does anyone really know?

I’ve stopped watching TV news; it always gives me the impression
That God is losing, the devil is winning; it drags me into depression.
It seems more people are angry these days; they all seem bent out a shape,
Instead of engaging and digging into life, they all are trying to escape.

Easters come and Easters go. Has anything ever changed? Does anyone really know?

Now I’m a Christian, and a pastor, and I believe in the resurrection
But neither my titles nor my believing give me any guaranteed protection
From those gloomy grumps, the bitter down in the dumps,
The nothin’ ever changes after every bloomin’ Easter blues.

Ron always challenges us to examine our thinking, our emotions, and our direction.

Easter; so what’s the big deal? It’s great that Christ died for our sins. I mean… REALLY… big deal! So He’s our savior?!? What’s really changed in my life from the days before Easter to the days after Easter? What’s really changed in YOUR life? Shouldn’t all this change something? How come our lives are still such a mess?

If you read my last blog post, you might remember that I mentioned that ANYBODY can be a savior. Of course, nobody but Jesus could be a savior of the entire world, but let’s ignore that for a moment. Let’s say you got pushed out of the way of a runaway truck, or saved from drowning, or given CPR after a heart attack. Certainly, you’d be grateful to your savior (rescuer), but your life probably wouldn’t change much because you got saved. So whatever was screwed up, unhappy, and out of kilter in your life is still screwed up, unhappy, and out of kilter.

Spoiler alert! Don’t read any further if you don’t want your life to change. Stop reading now if you don’t want to hear the Good News… if you don’t want to know the end of the story.

On Good Friday, Jesus died on the cross as our savior, but on Easter he rose from the dead. He has defeated sin and death (one in the same)! He is our conquering Lord! If you only recognize Jesus as your savior, don’t expect any change in your life. He calls to us, for us to make Him lord of our lives, as he called many times to Peter:

“Follow me!” - John 21:19

As Lord, Jesus calls gently to each of us to follow him. Only when we submit in faith to Jesus as lord of our lives will our lives change. If we still have the last word on what we do in our lives, then Jesus is not our Lord. It is necessary to open the door to your heart, and let Jesus take over.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” - Revelation 3:20

With Jesus as Lord, your life WILL change. It may not get easier, but it will change. There is no description I can give you that will allow you to comprehend the incredible joy that is in a life where Jesus is Lord. With Jesus as Lord, there is no post-Easter letdown… there are no day-after blues. With Jesus as Lord, Easter is just another celebration… a remembrance… a tradition. With Jesus as Lord, every day brings new joy… as we follow Him.

If all this is NEWS to you, start a conversation with your pastor, or contact me, or just talk to me (if you find yourself on the Messiah campus). Don’t let another minute go by only knowing Jesus as savior… Jesus wants you to have the abundant life that God has planed for you… if only you accept Him as Lord.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave