Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again! These words have been repeated, and celebrated, over and over again these last few days. Songs of victory over death have been sung, stories of sacrificial love have been told, colorful tables have been set and festive treats enthusiastically enjoyed.

But as the days pass, Easter fades into the past and with it, the good news its story brings. The grace that makes the Easter story possible. The hope of the empty tomb. All gone. Many of us revert back to hopeless living, falling back into the lie that because we are not good enough, grace and hope beyond death will always be out of reach. Because of that, as Andy Gullahorn sings, we become convinced that it’s “too late” for us. Too late to “change your mind”. Too late “for the truth this time”. Too late “to fall on your knees”. Too late “to apologize”. The story of Easter, the grace and resurrection it brings, becomes at best “a concept to believe in”. At worst, good news for our neighbor, but not for us.

But Paul writes about the story in this way: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). What does this mean? It means that it is “not too late to come clean, to face all the fallout that there might be. And its not too late to understand grace is more than a concept to believe in. It's something more real than your beating heart, that runs to the depths of where you are, it follows you there retracing your steps, whispering over and over again: it’s not too late.” In other words, the Easter story tells me, in no uncertain terms, that God loved me the most when I was the least deserving of his love. “While we were yet sinners”, declares Paul in Romans, “Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). If grace is real, because the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is real, then it is not too late. No matter where I am. No matter where you are. It is not too late to turn around, hold Jesus' hands, and live better than yesterday. Not because you deserve it, but because Jesus came to gift you an eternity of them.