Loads of us have been making things or getting odd jobs done around the house during out lockdown. Some people's standards are higher than others, but I think that Easter is a job really well done. God set out to do something and God totally did it. God smashed it. But what was it that God was trying to do, and how did God do it?

God set out to end the separation that we had created between us and God. Our lack of trust in God that means we feel compelled to look after ourselves even at the expense of other people and the rest of creation. So we put layers and layers of self-reliance between us and God until we can hardly hear His song over us at all. God set out to break the barrier – to tear it down so that His love song could be heard loud and clear.

How did God intend to do that? By showing what pure love in human form looks like. Jesus shows us what love looks like. By looking into the pages of the New Testament we can see love looks like inclusion, healing, fearlessness, hope, laughter, shared meals, wine and jokes, it looks like weeping with the grieving and celebrating with newlyweds, love looks like a challenge to power and vested interests, it looks like drawing diverse people into one community.

Love looks like humility, confidence, power without force, action without violence, the walk with the talk and the giving up of every last ounce. It looks like sleepless nights and drops of blood.

Love looks like isolation. Love looks like aloneness when that is what it takes to create togetherness. It looks like no words when there are no words left and the words, ‘Forgive them,’ when it seemed there was no going back. When all seems lost love remains. Hanging, bleeding, isolated, a laughingstock. Love looks ridiculous.

Until love looks like dynamite. Love smashes out of a rock hewn tomb and love becomes unbound. Love is stronger than death! Love chooses a woman with a dodgy past to begin the Easter announcements and says, ‘to hell with what everyone else thinks!’ 

Love says, 'Meet me at the beach, at the barbecue, let me make you breakfast.' Love says, 'Jump out of the comfort of all that has been and into the deep waters of new life.' Love interrupts grief and turns the appalled into the apostles. Love shares power and says, you too can do this. Love looks like Jesus, and Jesus invites us to look like love.

In scary times Easter reminds us God has been in it all. Jesus is the only one who can handle all our fears because He has handled dying and death for Himself. So when you get your Easter Egg today (and I hope you do) smash it open, like Jesus smashed that tomb!  

God set out to beat death and God smashed it.