Devastation. Disillusionment. Hopelessness. When I think of the the followers of Christ as after His crucifixion, these are the feelings I can imagine them dealing with. They knew the promises foretold about the Messiah. The promises that their ancestors had waited on for generations. To them, they believed that THEY were the generation which was living through the fulfillment of those promises.
Then came jealousy. Hatred. False accusations. Rejection and betrayal. All these lead to Christ being arrested, tried, beaten and nailed to the cross. Depression set in. And hope died that day as they watched the One person, the Man who had changed their world upside down, breathe His last breath.
And they hid. They hid from the possibility of the same accusations and hatred reaching out to capture their lives too. The grief was their companion.
For three solid days.
But, O! that third day! That Promise walked back into the room - and their lives! With the resurrection of Christ, a deeper understanding of those promises also came to life. Now they KNEW that Christ really was the promised Messiah!
Today, when I find myself facing feelings or situations that bring hurt or hopelessness, the story of His resurrection reminds me of fulfilled promises. It can bring hope in what may seem a devastating situation.
Proverbs 13:12 speaks well of both death and life of hope -
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
Just as Christ's resurrection breathed life into the grieving followers, it also reflects promised hope resurrected in unbelievable situations. From their resurrected hope came the birth of the early church.
Perhaps you are facing what seems to be the death of a promise or dream. That dream job lost. A child taken too soon. A relationship shattered. A freind's betrayal. A promise long delayed.
Look first to the cross. Share with Him your grief. Then focus on that third day and let His spirit breathe life into your situation.
Believe it today! Hope was resurrected through Christ!
Dare to hope again!
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