The Resurrection …. No Turning Back

During this Easter Season, the body of readings are so numerous and so powerful, it’s difficult to take them in. Any one story from scripture concerning the resurrection and the days following demand a lifetime of pondering. Yet the tendency is to read through them and then move to the next one. To be honest , I just can’t take them all in… I’ve read the accounts many times over the years, yet I’m barely scratching the surface. Then add the commentaries from gifted and holy people…. and it’s almost too much. 

At the same time, we are not celebrating these eternal truths in a vacuum. We are not in some theology class with our notebook trying to come up with a new insight. The truths and principles we read about and marvel over are present in our day to day. As we read and hear about the resurrected Lord and the disciples and the miracles and the persecution, we face our own challenges. We must live “life in the spirit” in the midst of “life in the valley of tears”. In these days we mourn the deaths of loved ones, we struggle with the sickness and trials of family and friends, we see sin immersing our nation and the world. Our eyes are on Christ’s victories….the conquering of sin and death and Satan ….. yet we are still stuck in the mud trying to stay above the rising tide of earth’s disasters. 

So what to do…. how should we act… what should we think ? Well brothers and sisters,  it’s our time. It’s our  time to stand up as servants of the Lord. It’s our time. It’s time for saints of God to stand. God gives us the grace to stand… and be victorious. Yet, we know that “grace makes it possible, not easy”.It’s not easy to stand with the Lord. It wasn’t easy for the apostles and disciples to stand with the Lord. “Life” went on after the Resurrection…after the Ascension, and after Pentecost.

We celebrate the healings that Peter and John brought to the cripple man.  “….. I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.” (Acts.. 3:4-9) Yet before they got too excited, they were beaten and even tossed into prison. Life after the resurrection was great, but not without its suffering, not without the cross.

So, for you and me,  life after the Resurrection and after Pentecost is great and wonderful, but not without its suffering. “Lord give us the gift of rejoicing in the midst of the battle. Help us to love in the midst of suffering. Lord help us to keep our hand to the plow and not look back.” We are in this battle up to our necks and there’s no turning back. And as we move forward with the Lord into whatever comes, let us rejoice deeply knowing that all will be well with our souls. It’s quite a ride as we travel with the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. We have decided to follow Jesus and there’s no turning back. Wow, let’s go.