S - Luke 24:1-8 (NIV): "On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' “Then they remembered his words."
O - The last sentence of this passage notes that "Then they remembered his words." My question is how could they have possibly forgotten? I would think when someone you love and consider to be God's Christ tells you he'll be tortured, murdered and then rise again three days later you would kinda 'make a note of it.' How is it that not one of the original band of followers approaches the tomb of Jesus with the expectation of resurrection? Temporary amnesia, grief, doubt and disbelief are the only recorded responses carried by this group of Jesus' most intimate followers. Apparently resurrection is an easier concept to embrace when not directly and immediately associated with someone you've been following for three or more years. On the other hand, could this very human reaction be at least one of the reasons for the presence and the message of the angels at his tomb? Could this amazing capacity we have to completely miss the point be a reason for God giving us Scriptures as well? One thing is for sure, he really does know how we are made and he is tender toward us and (as Jesus proves) ruthless toward our enemies (i.e. sin, death and the devil).
A - Romans reminds me that the Holy Spirit WANTS to intercede for me because of my weakness and God's will on earth (Romans 8:26-27). I am loved and wanted at my worst, my dumbest, and my weakest by God Almighty. This is the message of Jesus, the Scriptures and the abiding testimony of all who come near. Heaven is not offering us amnesty but adoption. God is not tolerating us but loving us. Today, I don't need to be confident in me but in him. I don't need to fear failure but to come near and stay near his person … even if I don't remember or understand. Today I will rely on the love the God has for me.
P - Father of the how much more,
Thank you for wanting me/us no matter what. Thank you for calling us near no matter where we've been or what we've done. Thank you for demonstrating your love in the person of Jesus so that we would know that we are love and not just well resourced or legally absolved. Today you want me to receive your love and to be an ambassador of it. Please, let your life and love come into and flow out of me. Jesus, please keep revealing the Father to me so that the love the Father has for you will be in me/us and you yourself will be in me/us.
Staying near,
Steve
No comments:
Post a Comment