He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” - Luke 24:25-27, 32

Dear Jesus, as the resurrected Lord you gently chided your disciples for being depressed and then opened the Scriptures to them so they could see that your living word had promised all of your suffering would end with resurrection to life. Their hearts burned with joy as they learned from you. My heart burns with joy too. Every year Easter brings my life into sharp perspective. I am saved. I am loved. I am going to live past the death experience and my body will be reborn without fault in the resurrection on the last day. This gives me sure hope to live by. How can I live with dead end thoughts about my life when I know what happened at Easter? Make your Easter message last in my heart for the rest of my life. You are risen and I will live forever. Thank you for patiently teaching and re-teaching me the reality of salvation. AMEN

"In Christ we have a sure hope that gives us a lifetime of "Spring-like "optimism."