“They [Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James] were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?’ Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. ‘Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.’” Mark 16:3 – 6
A life of struggle giving hope
What does it mean that Jesus can empathize with us in our struggle and lift us out of our mire?
I came to believe in Christ around the age of 9 or 10. It wasn’t because my parents brought me to church so much as I brought them… A different story for a different day.
I’ve listened to a great deal of sermons on how Jesus can empathize with us in our pain because of the pain that He bore on our behalf.
The thing is, it never really impacted me that much, because I hadn’t lived through much as a young adult.
Things change though
I’ve buried enough people, counted too few pennies, had my heart ripped out a time or two, been beaten bloody by failure and defeat, courted depression and loneliness, and lied about it all to save others from my burdens.
Reading with Emotion
Reading the book of Mark this time around, I teared up, got angry, laughed with joy, and even felt anxiety build as we got closer to the crucifixion.
I’ve never been so impacted by a Bible book in my life.
I found myself empathizing with Jesus
Through the stories of struggle and perspective, I started to really feel the hope building as well – and I think to some degree, it wasn’t that I knew and could feel Jesus empathizing with me as it was that I could empathize with Him and this made His empathy real to me.
It was in these moments that we connected – and that, in part, is what it means to connect with God.
Amazed at the Resurrection of Christ
The angel tells both Mary’s to not be amazed – presumably because Jesus said He would do this – yet, here I am some 2,000 odd years late – equally amazed!
I’m amazed because the God of the universe went through hell and back for me.
I’m amazed because in His resurrection, He completes all the brokenness in my tattered heart.
To the people I’ve seen buried – He promises reunion.
To the pennies I’m missing – He promises provision.
To emptiness – completion.
To loneliness – relationship.
To failure – Victory.
To all things broken – Restoration.
Proper Perspective
Christ resurrecting from the tomb gives us the hope in ultimate restoration to God, by God, through God, and for God.
This is eternal hope – that He loved me, and you, enough to place Himself in the judgment seat of His own rules for our sake, bear our imperfections and let the devil think he’d won.
The resurrection brings hope of restoration – what are you struggling with? Bring it to God and He will respond.
