LIFE - Easter Sunday Meditation

"Very early in the morning...they came to the tomb when the sun had risen." - Mark 16:2

"Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning..." - Luke 24:1

One of my favourite times of the day is the morning. I love to watch sunrises, to see the light filling the sky, bringing the dawn of a new day. I love the stillness and quiet of the early morning, to feel the cool freshness of the morning air on my face and breathe it in...

In two of the gospel accounts of the resurrection, it is mentioned that it was very early in the morning -- as the women came to the tomb they could probably hear their footsteps on the ground, since they were probably the only ones on the road that day. There might have still been dew on the grass, and the air might have been a little cool, since the sun had just risen and had not yet spread its warmth around. THIS is the context in which they discover that Jesus Christ is NOT dead, but alive!

The morning is usually the time of day when I feel most alive, and when something unexpected and joyful happens, it gives me an extra burst of energy...I imagine the women probably ran back to tell the disciples and maybe their hearts beat a little faster with the incredible realization that death could not conquer life!

God gave me a new insight today as I was meditating on this miracle...it's been a week since most of my friends and family celebrated Easter, but the celebration should last longer than just one day. Why, you may  ask? Because life really started anew when Jesus arose...

It's like when a baby is born and you begin thinking about all the "firsts" that you will be experiencing, all the things that you are going to do with your child, and suddenly, life takes on a new fullness. It's the same for us -- when we receive the gift of spiritual life that Jesus made possible by His resurrection from the dead, that is JUST the beginning of life!

Here are a few Scriptures about living - REALLY living - in light of the resurrection:

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. - John 10:10

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God,

and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. - John 17:3

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death,

that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,

even so we also should walk in newness of life. - Romans 6:4

...always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,

that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. - 2 Cor. 4:10

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;

and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave Himself for me. - Galatians 2:20

Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, we have the hope of eternal life, which will not be realized until He returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords...but while we live here on earth, it is His life that is to be seen in us, in everything that we do.

This is more than just knowing that we don't have to fear death -- it is living with faith and abundant joy and in complete surrender to our Redeemer, the One who has given us this life.

BEGINNING AGAIN...

It's now halfway through January and I'm writing my first blog post of the year...and if I only focused on that I might feel like giving up.

But I know that our weaknesses can be turned into strengths, and that sharing honestly from my heart is an encouragement to others.

I'm also reminded of One who never gives up on us, and we can be confident that He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it until the day He returns!

So, with that in mind, I'm beginning again -- and I'm going to take from the example of some friends of mine that it doesn't have to be an eloquent piece of writing...just a simple thought from God's Word or something that blessed me and there is great joy in passing that on to others.

NEW BEGINNINGS - 2010

Well, we're officially halfway through the month of January and this is my first post...
I am committed to posting regularly - it's just taken me awhile to get back into a consistent, regular routine.

     On my first day back at work on January 4th, I literally had a new, "fresh" beginning - I had been able to get caught up on the workload at the end of December and it was delightful to have a clean desk. Of course, this only lasted for a day before it returned to normalcy.
     Thankfully, I have a new perspective on my job as well - over the last few months God has, by His grace, been giving me a new outlook, particularly in regard to my job. I am so thankful for the freedom and peace that comes from doing just what is given to me each day and not worrying about things I can't control. I pray that this continues even as the workload and pressure continues to grow.

     On the home front, since last summer I have gradually neglected to consistently put things away in my little house, which has developed into a cluttered space (not dirty, but definitely a far cry from my neatly organized desk at work). So at the beginning of this year, I looked at this space in which I live and I decided that something needed to be done.
     Have you ever realized that you need to do something but you've been procrastinating for so long that it seems almost insurmountable to begin the good habit? Well, I knew that I needed some kind of motivation, so I bought myself 2 new books with a Christmas gift certificate and I resolved that I would not open or begin reading them until I get a decent part of my house in order. This is a big discipline for me, because I absolutely love reading!!
     However, I am making progress...and now will come the discipline of developing the good habit of putting things away instead of letting things pile up.

That's just a glimpse - I'm sure there will be more new beginnings this year and I look forward to sharing them with you, and I hope your new year is beginning with promise as well.