He is Risen

Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag′dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. John 20:1

I awoke this cold Easter Sunday *April 7, 2021) & repeated to myself, “He is risen”, but it seemed without surprised joy. It was more of a shocked,”I can’t believe it.” I had been meditating & contemplating sorrow & suffering throughout this Lent season so to change suddenly from sorrow to joy, from suffering to wholeness, was too much for the system! The Spirit, then, brought to mind that the disciples were in shock too... for at least 8 days. They ran around asking for Jesus’ body, seeing Him once when together on Easter Sunday but then hiding numbly until His return 8 days later. When deep sorrow occurs, takes time for the character of man to change from sorrow/suffering to joy/wholeness. It just doesn’t happen overnight all the time!

I can understand Thomas’ reaction of “doubt” more fully now. We have labelled him as being the Doubter, but, this time, was it more the depth of his sorrow which led him to say he couldn’t believe. Was it his inability to change suddenly from deep sorrow to exuberant joy in a matter of minutes? Was it more a verbal expression of what the other disciples were processing quietly? It took them eight days to process this before meeting with Jesus. Did they need the full eight days? How long does it take for some of us to overcome the grief and sorrow of a lost one? Days, weeks, months, sometimes years. So it was with the disciples. And when the grief and sorrow have been worked through, oh the depth and breadth of the joy experienced. It is much fully and penetrated with character. It is not just a superficial emotion that is here one moment and gone the next. It comes from the depth of the unfathomable human heart. It comes from a place which changes the character and conduct of a woman or man. It is transformative. It will be remembered all the days of their life. It is joy unspeakable and full of glory. One can then fully say, “He is risen!” “He is risen indeed!”