The Unseen Treasures: An Easter Egg Hunt and the "I AM"

It was a sunny spring Saturday morning in April when our oldest daughter experienced her first official Easter egg hunt. She had perfected her running and walking over the winter months.  What better time to put those chubby little legs to use than to join other toddlers picking up candy-filled plastic eggs on an open field as parents watched and cheered from the sidelines? I can still picture us arranging her little hat, securing her Easter basket, and carefully articulating the Easter egg pick-up process in easy-to-understand language.  The stage was set!  The children lined up, the whistle blew, and off they went! 

My husband and I stood helplessly behind the fence, shouting, "Pick up an egg! Pick up an egg!" as she ran, chasing the kids in front of her, wheeling her Easter basket by her side. She squealed with delight, having fun, but remained totally oblivious to the colorful candy-filled eggs beneath her feet. She just kept running. By the time she reached the other side of the field, all the eggs were gone, picked up by children who were more aware of the little treasures in plain sight. She seemed fine until she saw and heard the joy of other children opening their eggs to reveal the sugary treats they had been promised. All of a sudden she realized she was missing out on something special. Of course, you KNOW what my husband and I did once we reunited with her. We made sure she “found” an egg or two to put in her basket!

As I reflected on this cherished memory, the Lord impressed some spiritual insights into my heart and mind. This long-ago, simple Easter Egg hunt took on new meaning for me. If you believe in Jesus Christ, you understand the true meaning of Easter. Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, died a sinner's death, and after being buried in a grave for three days, He rose again. Through His resurrection, He defeated sin and death once and for all – forever (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). For Christians, this truth is familiar yet complex. Often misunderstood, if we don’t get this right, we may be like our young toddler, frantically running past all the treasures that lie right in front of our eyes.

Something similar happened to one of Jesus’s closest companions, Martha. It was a tragic scene. In John 11, we are told of the passing of Lazarus four days prior to Jesus’s arrival. Mary and Martha, his sisters and close friends with Jesus, were distraught. Notice this interchange between Jesus and Martha.

Martha:       “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

Jesus:         “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha:       “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

Jesus:         “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (vs. 25-26, emphasis mine).

We can’t blame Martha.  She loved her brother and felt lost without him.  When dire circumstances arise that we cannot control, it’s easy to become swallowed up in fear, uncertainty, and despair. We go “hunting” for answers (“eggs”), unaware that what we seek may very well be right in front of us. Jesus knew this was the case with Martha.  Her response revealed a limited understanding.  She was looking ahead while Jesus was saying look at Me. You want resurrection now?  Look at Me!  You want life now?  Look at Me! Jesus wanted Martha to move beyond a belief in a theological concept to a belief in a person.

When Jesus proclaimed “I AM,” He wasn't merely speaking about the future. These two simple words carry timeless significance. The Jewish people of that time would have immediately connected this statement to the Old Testament revelation in Exodus 3:14, recognizing that Jesus was asserting His divinity and Messianic identity. In other words, by stating “I AM,” Jesus was declaring He has always existed (John 8:58) and always will exist (Revelation 4:8). This truth lays the foundation for what Jesus said next to Martha.  Resurrection and life are only found in our creator God. 

Martha knew Jesus was the Messiah, but when it came to the resurrection, she was referencing a future event (i.e., when the dead in Christ will rise).  While this is certainly true, Jesus wanted her to understand that He Himself is the only source and embodiment of a resurrected life. As I thought deeply about this, I started to ask myself the same question Jesus asked Martha. Do you believe this?  Of course my answer is yes, but I don’t want to stop there. As was the case with Martha, I believe Jesus wants to move all of us from a doctrinal understanding to a deep and personal relationship with Him, a relationship that yields the abundant life He died to give us (John 10:10).

Because Jesus is the resurrection and the life we can experience…

FORGIVENESS. Shame and guilt do not have to dominate our lives. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God forgives all our sins – past, present, and future. Forgiveness comes as a total package. God does not forgive us partially but wholly.

He paid for our sins with His own blood. He did not pay for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2 NLV)

PEACE. Peace is something we all want. Lives characterized by conflict, fear, and frustration lack peace. Peace isn’t found in our circumstances. Peace isn’t earned.  Peace is a gift. Peace is found in Jesus.

“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 NLT)

JOY. “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things.” This definition of joy by Kay Warren sums up our heart’s deep desire. Joy is so much more than a fleeting emotion. Joy is a gift for those who believe.

“I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.” (John 15:11 AMP)

PURPOSE. We don’t have to wonder, “Why am I here? What is my purpose?”  From the very beginning (Genesis 1), we see God created us to walk with Him, be in relationship with Him, and reflect Him to those around us. We can know our purpose by engaging with God’s Word. The Bible tells us about who God is, who we are, and how we should live our lives in relation to Him. Abundant life is one lived on purpose.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10 CSB)

HOPE. Hope for the believer in Jesus isn’t wishful thinking; it is a confidence in the living, resurrected Savior. This hope is energetic, alive, and active in the soul of every believer. This living hope enables us to live without despair, no matter the challenges we face.  Our hope will never be found in our circumstances, our status, our finances, or our jobs.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3 CSB)

PRESENCE. If you believe in Jesus, you're never truly alone.  If you feel like God is far away sometimes, know that He’s still right there with you. When you put your trust in Jesus, God gives you the Holy Spirit, His very presence living inside you. The Bible says the Holy Spirit is like a seal or a stamp (Ephesians 1:13) showing that you belong to God forever. He will never leave you.

“But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you.” (John 14:26 CEV)

POWER. During His three brief years of earthly ministry, Jesus repeatedly revealed divine power. He displayed the power to resist temptation, heal the sick, feed the hungry, save the lost, and forgive the unforgivable. He demonstrated the power to endure pain, suffering, and humiliation. These experiences were precursors to the ultimate revelation of God's immeasurable power – the resurrection. This same power is at work on our behalf today and will continue to provide us with everything we need until the day that we, too, overcome death.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength. (Ephesians 1:18-19, emphasis mine)

It’s difficult to find a stopping place because there is so much more that we experience – love, grace, mercy, comfort, rest, wisdom, victory, eternal life – because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. I don’t mean to oversimplify or degrade the significance of what all of this means, but metaphorically speaking, I liken it to a huge field of unopened Easter eggs waiting to be picked up and enjoyed. Unfortunately, far too many Christians (including myself at times) are similar to our young daughter. We get caught up in the frenzy around us and fail to experience the abundance within our grasp. We run, we strive, we follow the crowd only to find our baskets empty. It shouldn’t be this way.  Just like a watching and caring parent, Jesus is saying, “Pick up an egg!”

• Do you need forgiveness in your life? Pick up an egg!

• Do you need peace in your life?  Pick up an egg! 

• Do you need joy in your life? Pick up an egg! 

• Do you need power in your life? Pick up an egg!

What is missing in your basket this Easter?  Jesus – the resurrection and the life – is right in front of you.  He died, was buried, and rose again so you and I could have a basket full of abundance that comes from knowing Him.  The only question left is this – Do you believe?