The Empty TombHe is risen! He is risen indeed! With these words we greet one another on this great and wonderful day! Good Friday has past - Easter Sunday has come. "We have passed from death to life. Hallelujah!"
The music in our worship service this morning was fantastic. The prelude of organ, trumpet, congregational hymns all prepared our hearts for a great time of worship. The morning message was well given and well received. Special music by a mixed ensemble singing with Tony Brown was exceptional. All was a means for true worshipers to enter into the spirit of worship and praise for the mighty act of God in raising Jesus to life. Hallelujah!
I would never even attempt to second guess God, but I have often wondered what might have taken place if things had been different. Such as the stone remaining over the grave where Jesus had lain. After all the stone wasn't removed so that He could get out, but so that others could see, and enter in. And the two women who went to the tomb on that "first day of the week" were wondering on their way who was going to roll the stone away for them so that they could anoint Jesus' body (Mark 16:2,3). And should it have been necessary for someone to roll the stone away for them, what might have been their response then in finding Jesus gone and an angel sitting there instead? And what might have been the response of the Roman soldiers who had been "guarding" the tomb in finding it empty when the stone had been there all the time? Just some "what ifs" that have gone through my wondering mind.
But that's not how God chose to do things. And I like God's way, because it was God's way. Sometimes my way conflicts with God's way. Does that ever happen to you? And sometimes it is even hard to accept God's way rather than my own. And sometimes I don't follow God's way, and God calls that sin. For me, that's what this "Holy Week" is all about - God rescuing us from our sinful, willful, ways and calling us to follow Him and His ways. That often takes us through the valley of the shadow of death, or across rough paths, or through sorrow, suffering, and other often unpleasant pathways. But Easter, or as I prefer, Resurrection Sunday, is about what God offers on the other side of those things. Its about finding life, even in the midst of, or beyond those things. Its finding God's way to live, to follow Christ in life.
My prayer is that God will continue to lead me through some of life's darker times to those times of life, joy, and service that He has for me. Then Resurrection Sunday can happen over and over again. And so I remain just a
Pilgrim on the way
The music in our worship service this morning was fantastic. The prelude of organ, trumpet, congregational hymns all prepared our hearts for a great time of worship. The morning message was well given and well received. Special music by a mixed ensemble singing with Tony Brown was exceptional. All was a means for true worshipers to enter into the spirit of worship and praise for the mighty act of God in raising Jesus to life. Hallelujah!
I would never even attempt to second guess God, but I have often wondered what might have taken place if things had been different. Such as the stone remaining over the grave where Jesus had lain. After all the stone wasn't removed so that He could get out, but so that others could see, and enter in. And the two women who went to the tomb on that "first day of the week" were wondering on their way who was going to roll the stone away for them so that they could anoint Jesus' body (Mark 16:2,3). And should it have been necessary for someone to roll the stone away for them, what might have been their response then in finding Jesus gone and an angel sitting there instead? And what might have been the response of the Roman soldiers who had been "guarding" the tomb in finding it empty when the stone had been there all the time? Just some "what ifs" that have gone through my wondering mind.
But that's not how God chose to do things. And I like God's way, because it was God's way. Sometimes my way conflicts with God's way. Does that ever happen to you? And sometimes it is even hard to accept God's way rather than my own. And sometimes I don't follow God's way, and God calls that sin. For me, that's what this "Holy Week" is all about - God rescuing us from our sinful, willful, ways and calling us to follow Him and His ways. That often takes us through the valley of the shadow of death, or across rough paths, or through sorrow, suffering, and other often unpleasant pathways. But Easter, or as I prefer, Resurrection Sunday, is about what God offers on the other side of those things. Its about finding life, even in the midst of, or beyond those things. Its finding God's way to live, to follow Christ in life.
My prayer is that God will continue to lead me through some of life's darker times to those times of life, joy, and service that He has for me. Then Resurrection Sunday can happen over and over again. And so I remain just a
Pilgrim on the way
1 comment:
We too had an inspiring service here in Wichita. I always am grateful for this season when the whole matter of the Christian faith comes to the base of the matter...the crucifixion and resurrection.
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