Easter Reality

"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.  And 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?  He is not here, but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise."  And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.  But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened."  ~ Luke 24:1-12

"Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?"   ~ John 11:25-26
Do I believe this?  Do you believe this?  We all come to a day where push comes to shove - do we believe?  Yesterday, Easter Day, I sat at the grave of our youngest grandson and grieved his loss.  The loss of his precious life, of our own dreams and hopes and expectations of life with him.  Grief is sharp and dull and heavy all at the same time, and a difficult burden to bear.  As I sat there with my burden of grief, it gradually lightened as hope in Jesus began to bathe me in its comfort.  Our Savior, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, bore the entire burden of all the grief and sin and brokenness of the world and rose again to life eternal, our elder Brother, our righteousness, so that we, too, may rise to life eternal.  Yes, I believe.  Beau was not at the cemetery.  So, with grief subsided, I could gather myself and go home to enjoy the small delights of the grandsons who play here on earth."Come and see, look on this mystery:

The Lord of the universe nailed to a tree.

Christ our God, spilling His holy blood, bowing in anguish

His sacred head.

Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame,

Lord of our sinful hearts, He is our great Redeemer.

Sing to Jesus, honor His name,

Sing of His faithfulness, pouring his life out unto death.

Come you weary and He will give you rest.

Come you who mourn, lay on His breast.

Christ who died, risen in paradise,

Giver of mercy, Giver of life.

Sing to Jesus, His is the throne;

Now and forever He is the King of heaven.

Sing to Jesus, we are His own.

Now and forever sing for the love our God has shown."

~ Fernando Ortega