Easter: The First Day of the Week
Today is the first day of the new week (see John 20:1), the dawn of new creation. Yesterday we were slaves and today we are free for Christ the Lord has risen and defeated the curse of slavery and death. The stone has been rolled away to open up the doors of heaven. The tomb of death has been opened up to a garden of springtime life. No more are we dead in the tomb. We are now alive.
As it goes throughout the Story of God, just the moment you were ready to close the book something miraculous happens. Jesus was supposed to redeem His people and He ends up on a cross. What could God possibly do to get out of this one? Just the time you’re ready to close the book and stop reading, something strange happens… Jesus isn’t in the tomb. Jesus shows up standing alive and He says to you “Peace be with you” and breathes New Life into you. The victory of God rises out of the death of Jesus in a glorious resurrection.
“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5).
Breath deep the breath of New Life for we were dead and now we are alive.
Where there was death, now there is life. Where there was darkness, now there is light. The Tomb is now opened to a magnificent garden; a paradise of peace, for Jesus, the suffering messiah, suffers no more. The sting of death has done its worst but Jesus stands alive in victory’s light. “peace be with you!” he calls, for the curse has seen its’ last day. Rise and celebrate. It is the first day of the week.
As it goes throughout the Story of God, just the moment you were ready to close the book something miraculous happens. Jesus was supposed to redeem His people and He ends up on a cross. What could God possibly do to get out of this one? Just the time you’re ready to close the book and stop reading, something strange happens… Jesus isn’t in the tomb. Jesus shows up standing alive and He says to you “Peace be with you” and breathes New Life into you. The victory of God rises out of the death of Jesus in a glorious resurrection.
“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5).
Breath deep the breath of New Life for we were dead and now we are alive.
Where there was death, now there is life. Where there was darkness, now there is light. The Tomb is now opened to a magnificent garden; a paradise of peace, for Jesus, the suffering messiah, suffers no more. The sting of death has done its worst but Jesus stands alive in victory’s light. “peace be with you!” he calls, for the curse has seen its’ last day. Rise and celebrate. It is the first day of the week.
Comments
It really means something to realize that we are new. "Breath deep the breath of New Life for we were dead and now we are alive." Healing. Hope. Restoration. God isn't done with me yet. He hasn't abandoned me. Each day I breathe again, and each day I am given the oppertunity to find myself and who I am, by living my life in tune with God. Sometimes I lose hope. Sometimes I feel like giving up. It seems that we always forget to look at how far we come, and we only see the few steps we've taken back. If we only knew...if we only knew how far we've come.
God constantly talks about remebering in the Bible. Because its so important. The minute we forget, we lose sight of what is good. We forget what God has done. I pray that we never forget, Wesley. And if we do, I pray we are reminded.
I love you very much.