Category Archives: Life of Jesus

Easter Morning #1

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As Easter dawned this year, I felt the same sense of relief I always feel. Good Friday had passed, along with that mysterious Saturday when we aren’t sure exactly where the spirit of Jesus was or what he was doing. Once Sunday dawns, the mourning and uncertainty are blown away like leaves in a gust of wind.

I like to think about that first Easter, putting together the details we read in the 4 Gospels. When the women were walking to Jesus’ tomb, they were consumed with grief over losing their beloved friend and Lord. According to Scripture, they walked to the garden cemetery while it was still dark, wondering how they were going to get into the tomb to lovingly apply spices to Jesus’ body.

Scripture hints that it was only shortly before they arrived that God the Father had dispatched two angels from heaven, telling them, “It’s time! Go to Jerusalem and open my Son’s grave!”

A stone rolled awayMatthew tells us one of those angels rolled the heavy stone away, no doubt a task of great joy to this heavenly being. I can just imagine Jesus sitting up on that stone slab with the angels’ lightning-like clothing illuminating the dark tomb in that pre-dawn hour. Maybe the angels helped him remove his grave clothes. Maybe they even brought along a new outfit for him to wear.

And then it was time. Jesus stood, put one foot in front of the other, and walked away from death and out of that tomb! And it seemed that within minutes he encountered Mary Magdalene. He was still close to the tomb entrance, and he told her not to touch him, since he hadn’t yet been to the Father, which leads us to believe he was newly-risen. (Not too long after that he had no problem letting people touch him.)

Mary weepingThough Mary was so shrouded in grief she didn’t recognize Jesus at first, she quickly came around (“Rabboni!”) and knew who he was, believing that somehow he had come alive again. And there it was: Happy Easter #1! Mary didn’t wait to understand it all. She just believed.

The same is true for us today, nearly 2000 Easters later. There is much we can’t figure out about that first Easter, and we crave answers to our questions. But whether we understand it or not isn’t what matters. The important thing is that we believe it.

It’s a great privilege to live on this side of Christ’s resurrection. And each year, as we go into the sadness of Good Friday, we already know our Happy Easter morning is a guarantee. But may that awareness never dull the glorious truth of what Jesus did for Mary Magdalene on that first Easter… and for all the rest of us who believe.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)

Out to Get You!

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When we use the expression, “He’s out to get you,” it always has a negative connotation…. unless we’re using it with a young child.

One of Emerald’s favorite games is for me to reach my arms toward her and say, “I’m gonna get-chu!”

Gonna get-chu!Then, with tiny footsteps, I’ll “chase” her across the room while she runs as fast as her little legs will carry her. She giggles and squeals, looking over her shoulder to be sure I’m still coming, and when I finally grab her, she throws her head back in pure pleasure, happy to have been “gotten.”

Long ago Pastor Colin Smith described God doing his own version of “get-chu.” He started with the example of a mother calling her children to dinner. As she projects her voice toward the family room she says, “Come to the table, kids. Dinner’s ready!”

But, busy with other things, they might not respond. So she calls a second time. Maybe a third. Finally, she leaves the kitchen and literally goes and gets them.

God calls to us much like that mother, but we’re often so wrapped up in doing other things that we don’t move in his direction. Even if we do hear him, we might not come. Thankfully, though, he often decides he’s just going to “go and get” us.

In the Gospels Jesus tells a story that matches this model. A shepherd watching over 100 sheep leaves the 99 to “go and get” the one who’s lost. How amazing to realize the fervency of his love for each of us.

I love playing “get-chu” with Emerald. It’s interesting, though, that something strange happens just before I nab her. As I’m getting close, she whirls around to face me and then throws herself into my arms. Every time.

Get-chu!Why is this? Is the suspense of being caught so strong she can’t wait? Or is the anticipated hug so appealing she wants it “now?” Or is there a twinge of nervousness in the chase that prompts her to check again that grandma still loves her?

Whatever the reason, I hope if I’m ever running from God that as I sense he’s coming to get me, I’ll turn and run straight into him. Or maybe I’ll do what Emerald sometimes does, initiating a round of “get-chu.” She’ll say, “MeeMee, I’m gonna get-chu!” and then she’ll turn and run away. What she really means is, “You come and get me!”

I believe that’s in the heart of all of us. We want a closeness to God but often don’t know how to get there. “If only he’d come and get me,” we think.

The good news is, if we really want him to, he will.

Jesus said, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.” (Luke 15:4-6)

Seeing Eye-to-Eye

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A week ago while I was visiting Linnea and her family of 6 in Florida, I marveled at how she got so much accomplished each day. Maybe that’s because she’s a goal-setter and a list-maker, but I think it’s more about knowing that her life as a wife and mother is a high calling.

I enjoyed watching Linni deal with 4 young children, home-schooling 2 and keeping careful track of the others. Somehow she manages to spend one-on-one time with each of them, each day.

Linni and kids.

Of greatest interest to me was her method of discipline, probably because I was never much good at that as a young mom. When Linnea was about to reprimand one of the kids, she’d always start the same way. Bending down to their level she’d say, “Skylar (or Micah or Autumn), look at me.”

The child might take a quick glance at Linnea’s face but then, inevitably, would look away, knowing that whatever was coming next wouldn’t be good. But Linni wouldn’t deliver her message before she’d gotten their full attention. “Look at my eyes,” she’d say again. “Here,” pointing to her eyes. “Look here.”

The child often took another quick peek but then repeatedly looked away until Linnea absolutely insisted. “Eyes,” she’d say. “Right here,” pointing to her own. When finally both pairs of eyes locked in, she’d “deliver the goods.”

God does the same thing with the rest of us. Though I can never physically look him in the eyes, I can always “see” what he’s trying to tell me through what Scripture says. But watching Skylar, Micah, and Autumn automatically look away from Linnea was a powerful object lesson for me.

How often do I do the same thing with the Lord, glancing left or right or even worse, right past him, pretending not to notice he wants me to pay attention? Of course trying to dodge the gaze of the Almighty is ridiculous, even more so than children trying to avoid their mother’s eyes.

The Lord goes to great lengths to connect one-on-one with us. And thankfully he perseveres, because he has important things to say. The only way to move forward in the Christian life is to listen to him and then heed his words.

Hebrews 12 offers a warning: “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking,” meaning Jesus. (v.25) Even if we know his message is going to be one of rebuke or correction, we can take comfort in knowing his discipline comes from a heart of love. (vv.5-6) So there’s never reason to fear receiving his focused attention.

As for Linnea’s children, one day they’ll thank her for taking the time and making the effort to always look them in the eyes.

“Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus….” (Hebrews 12:1-2)