She bows her head down low. Not in shame or embarrassment, but sorrow. You will not see her tears; she refuses to share her grief.
Easter brings us face-to-face with death.
Do you believe?
We walk in the fear of the unknown when we discover more of our friends are dead than alive. When our time comes will we be ready? Is death the end of everything or do we drop into oblivion? Will we meet our loved ones again?
In the throes of our grief, our hope and confidence in the Resurrection can be shaken. Our assurance of salvation rests on shaky ground. It’s spiritual grief!
Do you believe?
Will our loved ones someday rise again? A sea of white crosses works to destroy our faith. The birds still sing. The sun still rises and in our grief we cry, “Why?” Unbelievers exclaim,“He’s not coming.” Where is Jesus?
He stands by watching – watching and waiting . He’s waiting for that moment trusting His counsel on death. Now we can yield our doubts and fears to Him. We’re ready to receive His exchange for our sorrow. Somehow in His love, Jesus gives hope – hope for the future.
Do you believe?
Like Martha, we run to Jesus telling Him, in gulping grief, that His friend is gone. Our pain is real. Grief overwhelms. Does He know? Does He understand?
He knows.
He knows our need. He touches our soul because His love is an everlasting love – a love that refuses to die.
Do you believe this?
Martha said to Him, “I know that he ( Lazarus) will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?“… John 5:24-26
She bows her head down low. Not in shame or embarrassment, but sorrow. You will not see her tears; she refuses to share her grief. Jesus lifts her head, looks her straight in the eyes, wipes away her tears and enters into her grief. “I am the Resurrection and the Life!”
Do you believe this?
My uncle died this year and he introduced me to the Lord over forty years ago. I have confidence knowing someday Uncle Gene and I will walk together again. Jesus will laugh with us and show us how His plans for us all worked out. We will walk together in heaven, the Land of Happy Ever After.
Do you believe this?
I do.
Recently, I wrote a poem, The Rope. I hope it brings as much comfort to you as its given me.
THE ROPE
He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears form all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His people from the earth. The Lord has spoken. Isaiah 25:8
Grasping the rope to that future hope
In this land of hopelessness
Doesn’t burn my hands
Or draw blood to the surface
Somehow it brings me comfort
Holds me secure
Who holds the other end?
Jesus
He’s here
Pulling me through
Through the valley of the shadow of death
The tug of His companionship
The touch of His encouragement
Security in His faithfulness
Love spurs me on
When I get to the end of rope
He is there!
Holds me close
Wipes away every tear
And Love whispers in my ear
“Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Enter now into My rest”
The rope?
No longer needed
Falls away into oblivion
In the Land of Happy Endings
The memories of hopelessness fade away
Struggles in the valley of shadow of death no more
I have arrived!
In that day they will say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted Him and He saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted Him, let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation. Isaiah 25:9 NIV
Note: Photos, before editing, originated from Lightstock.com
Chris Malkemes
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Beautiful imagery of Jesus holding us drawing us to Himself! As I read, I also realized that because He is God, He is able to be on this end of the rope with me, tenderly cupping my hands in His on the days when my hands are weak and I am in danger of letting go of my end of the rope.
Easter is such a beautiful celebration of all this glorious truth!
Thank you for leading us into worship with your words.
Michele, I always love be your car moments. You are thoughtful and add treasure to the whole process of sharing our hearts. I have always wondered at Jesus meeting Martha, the practical one first on that day. I feel her heart as she wonders why He didn’t come on time. She doubts a little in her heart. Jesus’s understands so ch doubt and doesn’t let it win. He sYs “I am the resurrection and the life” and then He shows her. I can only say, “wow!” You’re right about Him holding the rope. That the trust and essence of a yielded heart. It’s a heart He holds treasured in His hands.
I greatly appreciate this, Chris, because you presume that Christians struggle with death and resurrection. I know I have. I love the Lord with all my heart, and yet, we don’t exactly know what happens after we die. Yes, of course, we know: We’re absent from our body-tent and our soul is present with the Lord. And one day, He will resurrect our bodies, unite them with our souls, and we will live eternally with Him and those we loved on earth, who knew Him. We all will live in the new heavens and the new earth. Yes, I know this. But what exactly is it all? How will we look exactly? What will we do exactly? How will the dust from the grave rise, anew, excactly? It’s nearly impossible to conceive it. And therefore, I think, sometimes it’s hard to believe it, and heaven seems so far away, and life gets so hard. But I have finally given this doubt to Jesus, realizing that if this isn’t true, then nothing is. And if we will not rise and live with Him eternally, He would have had no need to come, to suffer, to die, and to be raised again. Satan wants more than anything to steal the joy of our salvation. I’ve had it with him. I just want to thank you for not being holier-than-thou and for acknowledging our real human frailty and floundering. But thank you also for pointing us to the One who can overcome it.
Happy Easter,
Love
Lynn
Lynn, thank you for your honesty. We need it: with others and with ourselves, especially with ourselves. How easy it is to just stuff down our thoughts and not face them. How easy it is to say, “I’m not doubting right now”.
The truth is we all have some measure of doubt. We. Are. Human.
I will never forget the day Jesus showed me in that last chapter of Matthew of His view of those who harbor some level of doubt. We all rush to the great commission, but few of us note who He gave it to.
There were some who doubted.
He knew we would doubt, but He also knew we would believe. Our doubts today do not worry him – they do not upset Him. He knows. He knows that each and every day those doubts will be replaced by new and strong measures of faith. True faith that He personally gives at just the right time and place and as we need it.
He’s got our back. Honestly! He’s got is covered. I love Him so much for taking my doubts, marking them for destruction and replacing them with faith.
His work may seem slow, but it’s sure – not only good, but perfect.
Sorry. I meant hear your comments, Michele.