RE-CAPTURING EASTER JOY!

Admin Mon 15 Mar 2021, 8:56 pm

The business of the world sometimes takes us away from the reality of our joy. This is one of the reasons that continual reading of the Bible helps to keep us aware of our deep faith in Jesus. During the Easter season, believers benefit powerfully from a careful re-reading of the resurrection story in each of the four gospels. Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20-21 are rich with assurance and spiritual treasure.

One of the parts of the resurrection story that moves me most deeply is the knowledge that God knew what to do for each disciple and believer to secure their faith in the living, resurrected Jesus forever. Peter and John needed only to see the carefully folded head cloth, separate from the strips of linen, to get the clues that would bring them final assurance. The women who went to the tomb to tend the body saw angels that assured them that Jesus was risen, and Mary Magdalene saw the resurrected Jesus in the garden around the tomb.

Jesus appeared to Cleopas and Simon on the road to Emmaus, and with further explication of the Bible and the breaking of bread, sealed their faith in Him. Several times Jesus appeared through locked doors to the disciples as they were gathered together, encouraging them with words, eating a bit of fish, further explicating Scripture, allowing them to see His Ascension. Once he came to give Thomas the final assurance by letting him see the nail marks and side wound.

The deeply rewarding and encouraging fish fry by the Sea of Galilee in John 21 is perhaps the most beautiful of all as the disciples are granted a large catch of fish, share breakfast, witness the reinstatement of Peter and the special love for John.

For each of us, there is some special gift in these passages of Scripture that will re-awaken our profound faith with each reading. For each of us, there is the reality of the greatest truth, the greatest love ever given to mankind. We can truly rejoice in this season of hope and beauty in the promises of salvation and everlasting life through our faith in Jesus.

…Mary-Ellen Grisham (eternallyours8@yahoo.com) by way of ‘ChristianVoices’ (christianvoices@att.net)