“We live with wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3 NLT
“Jesus’ resurrection shouts truth with a certainty louder than every doubt and fear.”
My thoughts and comments today are about “wonderful expectation.”
You probably try not to think much about death, until something happens along the way that does not allow you that luxury. It is tempting to ignore that undesired eventuality as much and as long as you can. Mortality cannot be disguised. No one lives forever. And death is that unavoidable reality; you just don’t know how or when. “No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave.” Psalm 89:48 NLT.
Now that sounds grim, doesn’t it? Death is grim, and unpleasant, and unnatural to us. “That by His death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” Hebrews 2:14-16 NIV. You were created to be eternal, as your Creator is. Sin introduced death; God didn’t. (See Romans 5:12-19 NIV). The dread of death causes fear because sin causes death. That was true at man’s original sin, and remains true now. (See Genesis 2:15-17 NLT).
But then came Easter morning! Days earlier, harsh realities shattered hopes the followers of Jesus held, challenging everything they believed about faith and their future. Despair shoved hope aside. They stumbled “back home,” back to life as it had been, merely to pick up what little seemed left – bruised, bewildered, and broken. Things they thought possible felt impossible now. Things sure before posed troubling questions now. You will face times when life is hard and you feel like turning around. You will ask yourself, “What’s the use?” Something may seem to have stolen your future, but God is up to things glorious.
That’s why Easter is all about a hope-filled life. Christ’s resurrection validates His power over death and sin – announcing that Jesus is the Lord of life, the conqueror of death. “But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was not possible for death to keep its hold on Him.” Acts 2:24 NIV. Resurrection is the inarguable demonstration of God’s power conquering your worst and last enemy; everything else you may ever face is minor for God to do. In Christ you can “live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3 NLT. Life can be filled with hope not despair, enjoying life abundant and eternal not fearing death. It is yours to choose.
Easter is more than a fact of history; Easter is the truth of a current event more relevant to your well-being than today’s headlines. Easter makes sense of everything that has not made any sense at all. The empty Garden tomb made sense of the agony of Gethsemane and the cruelty of Calvary. Jesus’ resurrection introduced possibilities beyond anything His followers had previously imagined when standing in the darkening shadow of the cross. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection made every impossibility then, become a glorious possibility now.
Jesus’ resurrection shouted truth with a clarity and certainty louder than every question, doubt, or fear. Easter can do the same for you now. Jesus’ resurrection also guarantees yours. Death will not be the last word spoken over your life. Life is the final word spoken over you – life now and life eternally. And meanwhile, you can “live with a wonderful expectation” both now and forever.
My prayer for you today is that you live with joyful expectation resting on the truth of Jesus’ resurrection.