When gymnasts have great success in a competition, the coaching staff comes back to practice anticipating a lull in their training. The joy of triumph creates such an intense happiness in the gymnasts that when the euphoria dies away the athletes drop into a deep low. They want to feel that elation again, but they dread the work it will take to get there. In simple English: The higher the highs, the lower the lows.
On Easter Sunday Christians around the world came into sanctuaries to experience the exhilaration of Christ’s victory over sin and death. By faith we passed through the suffering of our Lord and now by faith and through the power of the Holy Spirit we share His triumph. We hit the high.
There is a real temptation, however, to let the resurrection talk of today be silenced tomorrow. We want to keep holding on to the high of the morning but cringe at the spiritual work that will be required of us in the world. Instead, we will be tempted to tuck Jesus safely back into the tomb so life will return to normal.
But the Christian’s life isn’t normal. It is wrapped in the truth that God raised Jesus from the dead. The angel was clear, “He is not here; He is risen” (Luke 24:6). We cannot let the celebration of today fade into a low tomorrow. Jesus is alive! And His presence among us in the Holy Spirit means we have work to do.