Rise
38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. 39 Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. 40 They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. 42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
(John 19:38-42)
The day after Jesus' crucifixion, a disappointed acceptance began to settle over Jesus' followers. That day all seemed lost - the work and the hope of the past three years seemed pointless. The disciples likely spent countless hours examining every decision - trying to understand why everything had happened the way it had, and where they should or could go from here. There was no way for them to see around the corner - to know that hope was not lost, and the time they spent learning from Jesus had not been in vain. Even with the memory of Jesus healing and restoring the sick and raising Lazarus, and Jesus' words echoing in their minds about destroying and rebuilding the temple in three days, and his blatant warning that he would suffer, die and rise, the disciples imaginations could not bring them to hope - and certainly not to anything resembling joy.
When Mary, and the women who had planned to complete the final preparations of Jesus' body, found the stone blocking the tomb entrance removed - and the tomb empty - they could not fathom the shift that was taking place. But the fear and uncertainty generated by this confusing scene would turn to unimaginable joy when, at the sound of Jesus calling her name, Mary began to realize a new reality.
When we are in dark places in our life's journey it can be difficult to hold on to hope. It can feel impossible to imagine good from where we stand. But with the powerful hand of the Holy Spirit, the Creator recreates, and our restoring Savior resurrects. Christ rose so that we can rise - during our earthly life and at it's end. May we rise each day with the joy of hopeful expectation, trusting God to bring Light to our darkness.
13 They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her. (John 20:13-16,18)
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