Weekly Devotional: He is Risen

HE IS RISEN

Scripture: Acts 2:23-24  “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

As we approach the Easter weekend, we are reminded of the death and resurrection of Christ, but Easter has a very special meaning for me personally. I think it is safe to say that we all have been affected by death in some way, a parent, a grandparent, a child, a family member, a friend, or just hearing a story from someone else’s loss. Death is never easy, the loss, the grief, the pain, the emptiness, the anger, and a host of other emotions and feelings that come with it. Death brings many questions as well: ‘why did this happen?’, ‘why did God not intervene and do something?’, ‘where is God?’, ‘how can I possibly move on without this person?’, only to name a few.

You see, on July 6, 2003, I experienced all the emotions, questions, and especially the anger… anger at God specifically. I received a phone call from my parents that day telling me that my younger brother and only sibling had been tragically killed in a motorcycle accident. While life had taken on us different journeys as we grew older, we were still very close and held a bond that only a brother and sister experience, especially when you are close in age (only 16 months apart).

My immediate response was ‘why God?’ accompanied by an anger I had never experienced.  I could not understand how God could take this young man who had struggled in later years with addiction but had finally found his way back and so passionate about God and what He was doing in his life. My brother had just moved to NC to help my dad build a new church and had become a role model for the young men in the youth group. He was unashamed of his faith and would share with anyone who would listen. How could God do this? The questions just kept resonating over and over, ever increasing the anger I felt toward God for allowing this to happen... but the morning of his funeral, things changed.

My dad had watched me struggle through the days prior to the funeral. We had all agreed that the funeral needed to be conducted by family as he would have wanted it: my dad to do the service, my mother and I to do the music, and uncles, also ministers, to assist my dad in the service. I knew this is what my brother would have wanted, but I kept asking myself how in the world my dad could do a service talking about how good God is and how there is hope in knowing it isn’t the end. All I could see was a casket, a grave, and finality… never again seeing or hearing my brother’s face or voice. It was the end.

The morning of the funeral, I was sitting on my parent’s front porch drinking coffee trying to prepare my mind and emotions for what was about to happen. My dad came out to accompany me and ensure that I was okay… of course I was not. He quietly sat down beside me and broke the silence by asking what seemed to be the dumbest question ever, “Erica, do you believe when you go to start your car that it will start?”. I looked at him like he had lost his mind. My response was terse and angry, “What? Why are you asking me something so stupid?”. The questions did not stop there, “When you made your coffee, did you believe it would be hot?”, and so on… After listening to these nonsensical questions, he softly then asked, “Why do you believe and put faith in those things that don’t matter, but when you need Him most, you lose faith and cannot see that He is still there?”.

BAM!!! It was like a 2x4 had just struck me across the head. My dad was exactly right… I put faith in things every day (both seen and unseen) that do not matter, but I was angry with God and had lost faith in the ONLY one who could bring me peace during a time when I needed Him most. Death had not changed the fact that God was still present. Death did not end everything, nor did it stop God’s continued promises. In fact, it only enhanced His promises to me in that moment.

I share that story because at Easter we are reminded of death, but more importantly, we are reminded of the resurrection and promises that God provides to each and every one of us. Death is difficult, but it is not the end because we have the hope given by the tomb being empty and new life.

Faith requires us to believe in something much bigger than us, even in moments that are difficult, but His promises are always faithful. God had promised His people a Savior, a new hope, if they would just believe. God provided the way then, and He provides the way now. Praise God for His promises and the hope of new life when our hearts are open to receive Him.

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!

Reflection:

What do you put your faith in daily? Does it matter?