Was it a morning like this
When the Son still hid from Jerusalem
And Mary rose from her bed
To tend the Lord she thought was dead
Did the grass sing
Did the earth rejoice to feel You again
Over and over like a trumpet underground
Did the earth seem to pound he is risen
Over and over in a never ending round
He is risen hallelujah hallelujah
Not a big Sandi Patti fan, but this song is unforgettable. I love to put myself in Jerusalem on that morning long ago. Sense the anticipation of the very earth itself at Christ’s resurrection.
Unfortunately, this hallmark of the Christian faith can get dry. “Died for our sins and rose again” comes off our tongues as easily as the pledge of allegiance. Because of that, I love this time of year to stop in awe of what really took place that day.
The God of the universe who put Job in his place. . .
who led the Israelites out of slavery . . .
who established His justice in the writing of the Law . . .
who loves us to the uttermost . . .
Died in our place of shame and anguish and conquered that death. He is more powerful even than the grave. Even his disciples who walked with him so intimately didn’t see that one coming.
Luke 24:2-7 shows their 20/20 hindsight:
2And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
Oh, so that’s what he meant.
How many songs have been swept away with the power of that moment! Christ proved his deity, his love, his mercy, his faithfulness. The resurrection added the exclamation point and bold font to his years of ministry on earth. We can never overstate the case of what he accomplished there and we can never meditate on it long enough. And to think that living power is alive in me through his gift of the Holy Spirit. Wow! That’s the pick me up I needed.
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (II Corinthians 9:15)
Erin (5intow)
Sixty-six books in a year 