Thursday, April 24, 2014

Disciples and Tinker Bell



This morning I woke up feeling defeated. My back ached from many times of getting up with my seven month old who has a mild ear infection. The day before I was defeated with grief. Reed found me on the floor of our shower cuddled up with a few towels. Sometimes a little comfort from a warm bed or a hot shower is all it takes to break the dams of tears from grief over death and suffering. But I have a hope as a salve for my grief. My husband looked at me this morning as we were both reading our bibles. He had tears in his eyes and said. “ I was just thinking about today, the day between the cross and the resurrection.” I looked back at him and said “the worst day ever”. “What must the disciples felt on this day?” Reed said. Indeed, they must have felt the greatest grief and despair. Not only did they lose their dear, dear friend but also their hope was shattered. To them being the messiah meant that Jesus could not die. They failed to listen when Jesus told them verbatim that he would be dead for three days (Mat12:40). So  the “day in between” was the worst day of their lives. They trusted that this man that they loved was more than just a man but that he had come to abolish death and suffering. They believed that he would conquer all evil and the sin within them. They must have felt so defeated, much more defeat than I have ever felt. Living on this side of the resurrection and the Pentecost, I have a promise fulfilled. Death has been conquered already. That brings so much comfort to so many sorrows. As Reed and I were talking about this I couldn’t help but think about a story from my childhood where I felt quite defeated. I was probably five or six years old. My sister and I were playing Peter Pan with a few other friends and I was elected Tinker Bell. The other kids told me that because I was Tink I could really fly but only if I really believed. I was convinced, I believed. So I climbed up onto the tall five drawer dresser that was in the room, spread my arms out, thought all kinds of happy thoughts and jumped, face first. So you know what happened next. Now that’s nowhere near the level of sadness that the disciples must have felt on the “the day in between” but kind of. Just imagine, being reluctant at first but then seeing Jesus perform miracle after miracle and say things that no one else had ever said and stretching your arms out. Then they witness many prophecies coming true and Jesus asks them to follow Him and they jump, arms wide, face first. Now my faith as Tinker Bell was a little different than theirs in Christ… obviously, but they never actually hit the ground like I did. They jumped with all their hearts and on the day in between they started to feel gravity, they started to fall but at the very last second, when they were in deep fear, when there was no utter chance of hope God came through, the stone rolled away, Jesus won.  Jesus was dead, entombed , laden with sweet smelling herbs to hide the stink of death that was presumed to come ……and he rose. He won the battle with sin and death and that evil being, Satan. He crushed Satan’s head and bruised his own heel. What a God we have who would sent  His only son to be murdered on a cross, nailed to a tree. He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. Grace, just pure pure grace and pardon for us who deserve death and more. God came through not just for the disciples but for all mankind, throughout all time. He rose! He is alive! He is alive! My God, He is alive! And now we wait for His return as the white haired rider with the flaming eyes with his name written on his side, “King of kings and Lord of Lords!”.He will bring a great victory, the final victory. He will come with all our fellow Christians, our passed loved ones, our dead children and dear friends behind him, and us with them too dressed in white as a great army of saints. We will be lead by our great King on a white horse who will end all that is left to be ended and begin His reign in eternity. New heaven and new earth.  Come Lord Jesus come quickly!
Happy Easter

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