The disciples and those on the periphery of the ministry must have been miserable the day after their friend and Lord was crucified. The shock and horror of Jesus' treatment, their abject fear for their lives all coupled with their grief and despair had to leave them physically spent and emotionally vacant. Have you ever been there? When you've cried so hard that the only thing you feel is the knot in the back of your throat? Your body all but shuts down and you move through essential activities as though you are operating on tracks. You are walking wounded.
I can only imagine what they felt and what they talked about. Surely there were some in stunned disbelief and some who were making plans on what to do if the crowd should turn on them. For three years their lives had been focused on one thing and now their one thing was gone. How would they survive? Who would they be? Where would they go? Would the pain ever stop? They had no idea what was in store for them.
For me the Easter story wondrous. It means my life is secure. Sure, parts of it are difficult but I often pass over the unpleasant details. I don't do that to diminish the significance of them, it's just that I know how the story ends. Jesus will not be held in the bonds of death. Satan will not prevail. Christ will rise again and in doing so, He secures the peace of my eternal soul and the souls of all who are His. Hallelujah!
Knowing how the story ends makes all the difference. We don't grieve as those who have no hope. In my life there have been and will be times I need to be reminded that I know how the story is going to end. My battles here aren't fought for a victory, those victories have been secured. I fight from a place of victory. That knowledge makes it easier to put on the armor and fight. The shield of faith protects me. The breastplate of righteousness has been custom fit for me by my Savior and I will spend my day rejoicing. I think I will play The Easter Song as loudly as my stereo and neighbors can handle it. My hope is in the Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!
Romans 8:37-39
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(NAS)
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