HOPELESSNESS TO HAPPINESS... Easter Sunday

Devotional for 4/20/14

Many of us have had moments of despair and dejection.  It is often difficult to see through these depressing times to anything positive.  How could this happen to us?  Isn't God hearing our prayers and pleas for mercy and rescue?  We are in desperate need of a flicker of hope in times like these.  

The followers of Jesus had a devastating time like this.  Their teacher and friend had been crucified, and they all ran away out of fear for their own lives.  Jesus was supposed to be the Son of God - their Savior.  How could this happen?  Why didn't God do something to stop it?  They likely had thought Jesus was going to be with them for a very long time and make everything better.  They were in desperate need of a glimmer of hope also.

Then something miraculous happened.  On the third day they found that Jesus was no longer in the gloomy grave.  Their hopelessness changed to great happiness!  They were elated that Jesus had risen from the dead and even walked with them again for a time on earth.  In God's perspective it all was happening the way it should, the way it needed to happen for the forgiveness of all humanity.  Jesus had even told them of his impending death and resurrection.  But they had not understood and were looking in the wrong place for the wrong thing.  They didn't have God's perspective until after it all unfolded. 

[The angels said] “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.  Luke 24:5b-8

When we find ourselves in a dark place, with seemingly no place to turn, we can be certain that God is still with us and that there are brighter days ahead.  He has told us so!  Our hope and delight is in Jesus and his presence in our lives regardless of what is going on around us.  When all we can see is the dark grave, we must cling to the empty cross and the bright resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Let God turn our hopelessness into happiness!

Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!

written by Jan Andersen

Because He lives here is the end of the story!