Making Time for God

72. He is Risen!

It's me again God,

He is risen indeed!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Thank You Father for raising Jesus from the dead so we could all be born again and experience this living hope! Despite our financial situation, we have an inheritance in eternity that cannot change due to a world pandemic!

Easter Sunday marks the most joyous, significant event in history!   Today, Christians all over the world will celebrate Jesus' resurrection in their homes, rather than local churches. I am even more excited than usual because so many churches are going live with their services! The Good News is flooding the internet and television channels to an audience around the world that more then ever, needs a Saviour! May Your Name be lifted high as we all rejoice in the amazing events and may many people tune into these services and be touched by Your love and grace, as they hear how the events unfolded at sunrise on the third day:

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "

Then they remembered his words. When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened."
‭‭Luke‬ ‭24:1-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I imagine that I would have wanted to see the evidence for myself too! This was such startling news!

"Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

"What things?" he asked.

"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus."

He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over."

So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon."

Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread."
‭‭Luke‬ ‭24:13-35‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Father I am so blessed to think of all I have because Jesus died and rose from the dead! Jesus You left Your followers in no doubt that You had indeed risen from the dead. Everything had happened, just as You said it would!

"He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭4:25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

You look at me just as if I had never sinned! I sometimes find it hard to believe but I know it's true! There are so many positives because Jesus died and rose from the grave!

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I rejoice because I am free from all condemnation!

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Thank You for Your amazing grace and the peace that I have through my faith in Jesus. My life has never been the same since I invited You to be my Lord and Saviour! It impacts everything and even helps me to deal with the difficulties I am facing due to Covid-19. It's like I have an entirely different perspective!

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Thank You Father for this most wonderful love! Even though Jesus returned to heaven, You sent us Your Holy Spirit to live inside of us! There is so much to rejoice about today because we can be sure that You will turn things around and help us to persevere through this current situation, building character and hope into this generation. May the world look to You this Easter and have hope for the future because He is risen —He is risen indeed!

AMEN.