What a triumphant thing, Christ's resurrection. Hope for eternity! Sin was defeated and Christ lives!
I don't make light of that at all, but I'm going to share my thoughts...which wandered to the silly. NOT silly about Christ. Silly about words.
When I thought "Up from the Grave," (of course it was set to the hymn's melody in my head but I don't know how to make the little music notes so we'll go with plain text)...when I thought those words, my mind grabbed at the irony. The concept of someone coming up from a grave USUALLY is spooky or creepy, isn't it? The ONLY time it doesn't strike me as scary is when it's in reference to Jesus. And then there's this wonder and awe and bursting hope.
But back to the spooky version.... Anytime someone very near and dear to me passes away, I dream about their funeral and they ALWAYS sit up in their caskets. It ALWAYS scares the bejeebers out of me! NO MORE UPPY!!!...not in my dreams anyway. Yikes.
And now back to the good "up from the grave,".... I cannot imagine the grief and utter desolation Christ's followers must have felt, having watched him die such a brutal death on the cross. I can't imagine their confusion, their Messiah gone when they had to have felt things were just getting started. But He was gone and how their hearts must have broken.
I also couldn't begin to imagine their joy when they went to His grave so early Easter morning and found that their Messiah wasn't "gone" gone...but was risen and alive and triumphant over the grave.
Can you imagine?? I think of something I can really relate to...like when my dad passed away. The next day I was on a plane, full of grief, and on my way to my parents' home for all the funeral proceedings. If I'd walked into the house and Dad had been there to hug me again and to tell me that he'd defeated cancer and was alive and well, I can't imagine how delighted I would have been.
It had to have been similar for those who went to Jesus' grave, don't you think?
INCREDIBLE.
It's my prayer that the same Jesus who defeated sin and the grave will fill each of your hearts this Easter season and give you hope for this life and for eternity.
Love,
Hill
