Stuck on Repeat

   Today is Resurrection Sunday, more commonly known as Easter Sunday. It's a day filled with tradition. Some people partake secular activities such as painting, decorating and hunting for Easter Eggs. Others attend church or mass (probably for the first and last time that year until Christmas comes around) dressed in their best for Easter Sunday. Some people don't even recognize the holiday and for them, everything is business as usual.
   However, most of us try to be pious as this time of the year comes around. I was in a restaurant and heard a woman quickly apologize for cursing. "I'm so sorry, it's Holy Thursday," she said. Most Christians try to give more to God during this time period. Churches are filled on Easter Sunday, people are singing, and people are thinking about the sacrifice Christ made for us. We try to do the best that we can because it is Easter, after all.
   Jesus didn't die so that once a year we can go to church, cry about His death, rejoice about His resurrection and then go back to our old sinful lifestyles. He didn't die for this but unfortunately, this is what so many of us do. We're like broken tape records. We're stuck on repeat. We confess to God that we want to change but then we go back and live the same lifestyle that we told God we wanted to change.
  We go to church on Easter Sunday and we listen to the sermon about how Jesus died, was buried and rose on the third day. We feel triumphant and victorious because Jesus, our Lord and Saviour lives! But we miss the message. He came so that we may have life. In  Deuteronomy 30:19, God says that He has set life and death before us and He tells us to choose life. Death was our only option but when Jesus died, He gave us the option to choose life. Choose life.
    Traditions are great but Jesus' death, burial and resurrection are more than just a tradition. If you are burdened with sin, you can lay it down. Jesus said to take His yoke upon you because His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He will take the burden of sin and give you salvation and peace. Don't just take Resurrection Sunday as another tradition. Realize that He died and He can change your life if you allow Him to. He can take your struggles and give you peace.
    Jesus died to give us a new life. He wants you to move forward in God. He doesn't want you to be stuck on repeat, stuck in your sin and hiding behind tradition. You can give your life to Jesus. It doesn't matter who you are. Jesus came for the least among us. 
   Don't just go through the motions. Recognize that He took beatings and wounds for our sins. He took our sins. You don't have to live in yours. He can make you a new creation. Don't be stuck on repeat, give everything to Jesus and live!