Egg hunts were always my favorite Easter activity and my daddy never made finding the eggs an easy feat. Before hiding them, he counted the eggs in his basket so he would know how many more we needed to locate. There were always one or two that stayed lost a few days.

One year we only had one egg left and decided we had simply miscounted. The next morning, we were walking down the steps toward the van just as Mom cranked it. WHOOSH! The missing egg shot out of the tailpipe! Of course, we thought that was hysterical.

My kids also love hunting eggs. Yaya and Papa are great at creating mystery and excitement around the annual hunt. Along with all the small, plastic eggs, they also hide two, large, golden eggs. These special eggs have clues inside that direct the boys to their exciting Easter surprise.

We, too, are on a lifetime egg hunt—trying to find the one egg that is missing. New cars. Another job. The next church. More friends. Fad diets. New marriage. Higher education. Another child. Gym membership. More money. Extra hobbies.

We search everywhere, often our whole lives. Nothing satisfies the longing. Happiness comes and goes with the seasons, and more often than not, we are left lonely, sad, and empty.

But as this Easter season approaches, there is good news—we have a prize egg! Jesus’ death on the cross is the clue that points to his resurrection. Jesus paid for our debt of sin, offering us grace and eternal life, if we choose to accept it.

I know some of you are sighing right now because you think you’ve tried the Jesus route and all you found were a bunch of hypocrites sitting in a church pew. But if that’s what you found, you haven’t met my Jesus. To quote the chorus of Anne Wilson’s song, “He makes a way where there ain’t no way, Rises up from an empty grave, Ain’t no sinner that He can’t save, Let me tell you ’bout my Jesus. His love is strong and His grace is free, And the good news is I know that He, Can do for you what He’s done for me, Let me tell you ’bout my Jesus, And let my Jesus change your life.

If all you found was unpleasantness, you haven’t met my Jesus. If you go through the motions and serve your heart out, but still have no hope or peace, you may have never met my Jesus. If you’re bitter and angry at all those church people and you’re never going back, you need to give my Jesus another try. Or if you’re tired of searching and feeling empty, oh my friend, won’t you give my Jesus a chance?

There’s no time like the present. Visit a Good Friday or Easter service this week. Cling onto that prize egg. And let my Jesus change your life.