Today is Easter Sunday, and I'm so excited to share this with you in honor of the fact that
HE IS ALIVE!
HE IS RISEN!
and HE IS WITH US!
As I mentioned in my last post, I have been working on a new eBook project and today is the perfect opportunity to share the chapter on the Resurrection...So without further ado....
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As I ran to the tomb where Mary had seen the angel, My heart raced. As a little bit older man than John, my legs would have generally given out by now, and I’d be on the side of the road trying to catch my breath. This time, however, it was as if I was a young fisherman again. In many ways, it felt as if I was floating. I simply couldn’t explain it. My heart continued to race as John, and I barreled past what seemed like a thousand people. Traveling upon the broken path would normally have given me a blister or two at the speed we were running, but this time it was not so.
John had gotten to the tomb first and was waiting outside the tomb. I didn't want to wait any longer, I tumbled past him and into the tomb. What I saw was completely mesmerizing. His body was no longer there. All that was left was His coverings. Coming out of the tomb, I was simply in shock, to explain this would be impossible.
As I thought about what people would try to say I started to see a great light appear to John and me as well and I knew He was Alive. My opportunity to seek My Savior’s forgiveness for denying that I knew him. The tear I had seen fall upon His beaten cheek was still burned into the forefront of my mind, and I knew there had to be a chance, it may have been a small one but one nonetheless, I had hope that I could redeem myself.
I ran back to tell the others, and many of them struggled to believe my claim. Even when John tried to share the same news, the others were reluctant. They couldn't comprehend that Jesus had done as he'd promised, He told us he was going to raise up from the ashes of that cross and none of us, when it comes down to it, really believed it would happen. Then suddenly in the midst of the darkness, He appeared. The words he spoke, I will never forget. “Peace be with you as my Father hath sent me, even so, send I you.” It was only for an instant, but that instant lasted for what seemed like a lifetime.
Just as He had appeared He also disappeared, then Thomas came in, and we explained what had just happened, and all he could do was shout his disbelief. “I will not believe until I see the wounds in his hands and the broken flesh upon his side.” I wanted him to see, I wanted everyone to see the miracle of Jesus breaking the barriers of death and hell and coming back to life. And yet, my heart still longed to see my savior again. I wanted His forgiveness, I wanted to tell him how much he meant to me.
A week later we were all enjoying some fellowship and worship together, and Thomas was with us. In the midst of our celebration, a bright and blinding light filled up the darkness of the upper room. We'd been living there since Jesus had appeared to us the first time. This time, however, the light was even brighter, blinding almost. As we all turned towards that corner of the room, we began to see the image of Jesus appear. At first, it was his nail pierced hands. Seeing them once again was indescribable, my heart was pounding, my spirit was awakening. It was a powerful moment.
Once his hands appeared, we started to see his once flesh torn arms come out as if they were brand new. As he continued to appear, his nail pierced feet made my heart race even more. Finally as his once broken and bloody face appeared as if it looked the first time I saw him. A single tear leaped out of my eye and upon my dirt stained cheek, and I couldn’t help it any longer. It was as if something within the depths of my soul had broken through the walls of fear I had been building up and a new life was just around the bend. My tears flooded out of my eyes and all I could do was stand in awe of His amazing glory.
As Thomas began to see the same things we all saw the week before, he still relented. Jesus told him "Thomas, reach into my side and feel what had stricken me, reach into the wounds on my hands and feet." As he did this, he spoke: "I believe." Jesus' words in response to this really spoke to into our hearts. "Many of you believe because you see, but there will be those who believe and do not see." That statement struck us all in ways we will never forget. I know for me it was as if Jesus was saying we'd failed. I can only imagine what my brother Thomas felt.
My heart was beating so fast, all I wanted to do was cry out to my Savior and beg him for forgiveness, but in an instant, the glory that we had just witnessed began to fade into the darkness of that upper room once again. My heart dropped, and I fell to my knees, there was nothing more I could do. I wanted desperately for Him to know how sorry I was. With that light fading, all I could do was hide in the opposite corner of that upper room and wonder, "Will I ever have the chance to make this right, will I ever be able to tell my Jesus, just how much He meant to me?"
Blessings in Christ and Thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room."
"Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord." 45.3.20
M.J. Elliott
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