40 More Days of Easter
Hold it! The Easter season (the resurrection of our Lord and His time on earth before ascending to heaven) is still underway.
For 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus was “in and out” of places and people’s lives during that time. He was showing up when they least expected Him. Can you imagine being one of those who witnessed Him ALIVE and WELL?
According to scripture, Luke 24:13-32, Jesus stepped alongside two of His disciples on their way to Emmaus. What an inspiring story that assures us He was really alive!
I love the encounter Jesus had with Mary Magdalene just after His resurrection (John 20:11-18 ). Yes. A woman was the first to witness our Lord was really alive. He appeared to other women, He appeared to Peter. While the disciples met behind closed doors, He appeared to them, and even (doubting) Thomas reached out and touched the nailprints in His hands and His pierced side.
For 40 days, Jesus was able to prove to His followers that He really had been raised from the dead. In 1 Corinthians 15:6, Paul records that Jesus “appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time”. He needed to teach His disciples the kind of King He really was.
What a seminar on biblical teaching and resurrection life that must have been! Imagine being taught about new life, resurrection life, and never-ending life by the One Who said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. Whoever, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25)
And at the end of the 40 days, He ascended to heaven. He couldn’t be everywhere at one time, so He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us to comfort, guide, and lead us. He would live in our hearts.
What does that “seminar” with His disciples have to do with me today? It fully verifies His resurrection! Because He lives, I can face whatever this day and my tomorrows hold.
When I take a glimpse at the news and hear the gloom and despair of politics, the killings of innocent people, the troubles in our economy, who our next president will be, I don’t have to be a member of the choir that only sings songs of dread and fear.
Christ’s resurrection really is is the ANSWER TO EVERYTHING — past, present AND future. Our God reigns supreme — over all and that changes my perspective on EVERYTHING.
Science was never my favorite class in school. I was immensely grateful to be done with that class at the end of the school year. Allthough I’m not a stellar scientific know-it-all, I know this, I see this world that God created for you and me.
In just a few days (April 8th, to be exact), the promised full eclipse will take place. I understand that hundreds of thousands of people will be travelling to locations where they’ll be able to witness it for over four minutes.
I don’t have to wait till then. I can walk outside on a sunny day and see the beauty all around me. I can look up at the night sky and I see the stars and planets. I hear birds chirping, feel the wind against my skin.
As long as I live, I will know God’s peace that passes understanding, I know it because my Savior, my King of Kings and Lord of Lords LIVES! Oh what a Savior. Oh hallelujah! Life is worth the living because He lives!