The Gift of Joy and Life
Read: Matthew 28:1-10
“It began to dawn toward the first day of the week.” – Matthew 28:1
The fragment of the first verse of the 28th chapter of Matthew carries a prophetic truth that comes to us as a thin ray of light against a dark background. These who are making their early morning journey are coming burdened down with the weight of death and dying. In their hands are baskets filled with winding cloths and ointments. In their hearts are carried the defeat and fear of Good Friday's awful event. It is in darkness that they moved toward this painful morning.
So it is that many of us move toward the morning of resurrection. In the dark valley of painful crucifixion our lives are stripped of their glib and easy faiths; the idols of our casual and careless worship are cast down. With only the sense of doing our duty we move forward, but in that movement comes the upsurge of promise and hope.
So moved the women to the tomb of Christ. Their duty was disrupted; the body was not there. The appointment with death and the appointments of death are lost in the staggering affirmation “He is not here; He is risen!” Beyond the confounding emptiness they met Christ giving to them the gift of joy and life. This is the Easter gift, not isolated to a day or a season, but ours now and always.
Prayer: Lord of life, we thank you for the glorious truth and the experience of the resurrection. Raise us to joy and love so that people meeting us on the highway of our lives will see Jesus in us and through us. Amen.
Thought for the day: Easter's gift of life is not for one day or one season, but for all days and forever.
Rev. Perry A. Thomas
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