Many faithful believers are upset over President Joe Biden going out of his way to offend Christians on the culmination of Holy Week. As my colleague Nick Arama reported, not only did the White House forbid children participating in the Easter egg design contest from using any religious symbols or iconography, but instead of issuing a proclamation acknowledging the meaning and gravity of this sacred day to so many, Biden chose to use his proclamatory power and the office to declare Sunday, March 31 as Transgender Visibility Day.

You cannot make this stuff up. Sometimes, I really wish we could.

Once again, Biden seems to have no sense of optics. Apart from the Easter Egg hunt and activities for kids, they have not as yet issued anything about Easter. Now, he will probably issue something tomorrow, but it will appear late and lacking, given what he's done so far. It should also be noted that he's not pulling the date out of thin air. March 31 is when "Transgender Day of Visibility" has been recognized each year since 2009. This is the fourth time that Biden has issued a proclamation on it. In fact, in his proclamation last year, he attacked "MAGA extremists," saying they were targeting transgender people with laws. This is the first proclamation he's issued on it that has coincided with Easter. 

I think it's safe to say this approach isn't going over well and that a lot of people are upset. 

And rightly so. This is a deliberate slap in the face to faithful believers and everyone else who acknowledges and celebrates this religious holiday. On my part, frankly, I was less angry and more grieved.

Grieved that a president who is supposed to represent all people and claims to be a deeply devoted Catholic chooses to elevate a manufactured moment over thousands of years of significant and weighty tradition and reverence. Grieved that so many are missing the mark, missing out on who God created them to be, to chase after lies and fantasy. It is no surprise that people who rebel against God have to willingly (and willfully) fixate on delusion, because they refuse to be captured by truth.

I became even more appreciative of the elected officials who do lead and acknowledge this significant day. Hats off to Governor "Meemaw" Kay Ivey who brought it with the dignity worthy of her office.

As we gather with our loved ones for the holiday weekend, let us remember that Jesus willingly gave His life for us all.

As Easter dawns, let us rejoice in the victory of His resurrection, knowing that through Him, we have eternal hope and life. pic.twitter.com/vybPElkXsQ

— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) March 29, 2024

After all the pushback and criticism over the weekend, Apparently the Biden team felt required to put out this anemic greeting Sunday morning.

Happy Easter, America.

May God bless and keep each and every one of you. pic.twitter.com/lkKQ2u7TRN

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 31, 2024

As Arama noted above, Biden missed the moment, and this "greeting" is tainted and insincere. I would say that this was intentional, as so much of the denigration of Christians by this administration is. Then the thought came to me: This is why Jesus died, and rose again: for such as these.

1 Corinthians 6:11 (NKJV)

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

This is my challenge to all of you - no matter how awful trolls are to you today, you wish them love and blessings. You remind them Jesus loves them too.

Because nothing will make them angrier.

Plus, you know, it's true. Jesus even loves the trolls.

— The🐰FOO (@PolitiBunny) March 31, 2024

The Hope of the Resurrection is the hope for all mankind. As "Your Grace Finds Me," one of my favorite Matt Redman worship songs says,

The same for the rich and poor
The same for the saint and for the sinner
Enough for this whole wide world
Your great grace, oh, such grace

Redman talked about his inspiration for writing the song and what he desires for those who sing it in worship to know.

WATCH:

Jesus' not only opened the tomb, but opened the way for his love and his grace to find us, and for us to reach back. The Resurrection message is for all, even the ones who think they don't need it, or vociferously refuse it.

• For a controlled and cognitively compromised President Joe Biden, Jesus died and rose again.
• For the lying and confused press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Jesus died and rose again
• For people mutilating their bodies and wreaking destruction on what God originally intended, Jesus died and rose again.
• For deceivers and blasphemers who support this wholesale madness and condemn Christians, Jesus died and rose again.

For all of us. We were once a part of that "some of you." We were once controlled, compromised, liars, confused, destroying our bodies and souls, or simply just out of reach from God. Jesus died for us, and because of someone’s prayers and petitions, a friend drawing us in or inviting us to church, or simply because we had hit rock bottom and had nowhere else to go, we finally surrendered, acknowledged our sins and received the salvation bought for us on the cross and secured through the Resurrection.

So, my grief quickly turned to prayer, and my prayer turned to rejoicing—because, really, that’s what Easter is all about. Rejoice! For He is Risen! Because he lives, we can now live life to the fullest—no matter what is occurring in the culture.

So, go out and live. We need no more acknowledgment from anyone other than the empty tomb. Jesus has torn off our graveclothes and given us new life, so embrace that life today. Embrace your family and loved ones. Embrace worship and praise. 

Because the same Jesus who is resurrected is still doing the work of tearing off grave clothes, unsealing tombs, and bringing life from death.

I am off to rejoice in concert with my church family, but I leave you with two other worship songs that I love to hear and sing on Easter. May your Easter be Happy and blessed. He is Risen! Hallelujah.