April 17

He is Risen

“He is risen.” Mark 16:6

When Jesus’ body was laid in the tomb three days earlier, so were the hopes and dreams his disciples had for the future. They had died along with their Savior. Imagine the sorrow that his followers faced. They mourned the loss of the one they hoped would save them and they mourned for the future they lost with his tragic death. They dealt with their sorrow in different ways: some had to get busy to forget the pain and so they went off fishing. Others, like the women in this passage, wished to anoint his body with spices, wishing to hold on to their precious memories of this man they loved. Imagine the joy that each felt when they heard the words, “He is risen.” First, the women at the tomb heard these words from the mouths of angels, and later, the disciples heard them from the women. What an emotional roller coaster his followers had been on! One day, their beloved Jesus, dead; and three days later, he was alive! Along with him, their hopes and dreams had sprung back to life, for when the stone was rolled away from the tomb, not only did Jesus come back to life, but so did their hopes for the future. All the words that Jesus had expressed to them about the kingdom were once again alive. Now they knew with certainty that the kingdom that Jesus had spoken of would come to pass. For when Jesus was resurrected from the dead, his disciples knew he was the Son of God and all that he had said would come true. He is risen! Let each of us today experience the joy of the resurrection and know with this same certainty that his kingdom is at hand!

Father, we thank You for the sacrifice You made through our Lord Jesus Christ. More than that, we thank You that You raised Jesus from the dead. Thank You that hope was reborn that resurrection day. May the reality of the resurrection of Jesus live inside each of us and may we share that joy with all with whom we come in contact! Amen