He Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed!

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. 'Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.' " Matthew 28:1-7

I sat here fixing baskets for my boys thinking that it was just a few hours away from the time that this took place 2000 years ago. I can't help but wonder if the women had a restless night just as I do when I have a big task in front of me. I know it must have seemed an especially dark time; it had been even during the day light hours.

How could it not have. All their hopes and dreams, the things that they had believed all seemed washed away. They had put their faith in this Man and now He was gone. What was left except to do the last things that they could do for him. Some of those who knew Him sorrowed over their abandonment of Him in His last hours. One felt such guilt that he killed himself.

Another, as had been foretold over thirty years before, had a sword pierce her mothers heart. She probably laid in bed crying out to God "I just don't understand" over the lose of her eldest son. And why not? After all how could a loving and gracious God giver this child in such a miraculous way only to take Him back again in such a horrible way?

They say that it is always darkest before the dawn and I'm sure for those on earth that had followed Christ it must have been a very dark time indeed. It was the darkness of a lost loved one; the darkness of not living up to the expectations of a person they loved greatly; and the darkness of ignorance because they couldn't see how anything good could come from what had happened.

We go through those exact thing in our lives. We have those dark times as well. What we need to remember is that, even though we can't see it, God does have a plan and it's a plan for good. Secondly, even though we can't feel it God is there. We haven't been left orphaned or abandoned. Nothing we go through is a surprise to God anymore than what Christ went through was a surprise to Him. If we allow Him too, He will see us through it.

Life here is never going to be easy, Christ promised us that before he had died, As a matter of fact He said that it would be harder for believer than non believers. He did promise to help us and walk with us. He said that if we would just preserver there would be a place for us with him. And when we reach His side suddenly we will have a V-8 moment and it will all make sense, just as Christ's death finally made sense after His resurrection.