Do Not Despair...

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Because of the empty tomb, we were given peace. Because of His resurrection, we can have peace during even these troubling times because we know He is in control of all that happens in the world. - Russ Kinion

My religious posts, my faith posts if you will, tend to get far fewer "hits" than my regular posts. The historical posts seem to garner the most hits. That being said, I get it, I truly do. Often I will go to a blog I normally read and if I see a "religious" post, sometimes I will move along.

Religion, Faith, whatever you want to call it, is a deeply personal thing for me. My Creator, my Savior, and the Spirit of the Living God are my constant companions in this world. Have been for as long as I can remember, but these feelings intensified once The Missus Herself dragged me, kicking and screaming, back into church, shortly after I retired from the Air Force.

In twenty-four years in the service, I went to church services exactly twice. Once in Basic Training, when it was a non-optional event, and again in Tech School when another airman and I volunteered to go hear a general give a speech, on a Sunday, in a church. Not being particularly bright I suppose, I neglected to add two and two together properly and wound up with three as my answer. On the plus side we were excused from normal details (which usually involved cleaning something) for a week. Anything to get out of a detail works for me.

Anyhoo...

I wrote an Easter post a couple of years ago which still rings true to me, at least in my own estimation, your mileage may vary. So I repeat it here, it was a good post, a satisfying post to write, and told the story I wished to tell effectively. At least I thought so.

But my own efforts are small potatoes compared to the greatest story ever told, that of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, some two millennia ago. From St. Paul, in a different context, but these words give me comfort in these troubled times...

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. - 2 Corinthians 1 8:10 (ESV)

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. - 2 Corinthians 4 8:10 (ESV)

May God's Peace be with you all...

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After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matthew 28:1-7

When I was young, Easter was about colored eggs, chocolate, and the Easter bunny. To say that I didn't understand what Easter was really about is something of an understatement. Then again, to expect a child to understand the import of exactly what Easter is about is perhaps expecting a bit much.

It was many years before I truly began to understand what this day means.

He came as a man, born into humble circumstances though surrounded by angels. He became a carpenter and a teacher. He was sent as the Messiah, though most of us did not receive Him as such.

He was condemned, tortured, and sent to die in a most horrible fashion.

But little did the powers of this Earth know, there was no tomb built which could hold the Son of Man. He arose from the dead. Having paid the price for our sins and our sinful nature He now sits at the right hand of the Father.

Death has been conquered. Paradise has been opened.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?"

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. - Luke 24:1-8 (NIV)

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. - John 20:3-8 (NIV)