“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  2 Corinthians 5:17

On Easter morning, over 2000 years ago, Mary  Magdalene,  along with some other women, brought spices and perfume to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. But the tomb was empty– the body was gone.  They ran to tell the disciples, “They have taken away the Lord.”

After Peter and John had checked out the evidence and gone home again, Mary remained by the tomb, weeping.  When she heard a noise behind her, she turned and saw a man standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him.

“Woman, why are you weeping? Who is it you are looking for?” he asked.

Thinking he was the gardener she said,

“Tell me where you have laid him and I will get him.”

Why did Mary not recognize Jesus? I think it’s the same reason I often don’t recognize the living Christ in my life. Mary expected to find things as she had left them–a dead body wrapped in linen cloths lying in a tomb. Her expectancy was too small.

Aren’t we like that too? We come to Jesus in prayer but we really don’t expect to see any changes.

Not until Jesus called her name, did Mary realize that Christ was alive and standing right beside her.

“Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”

Mary hurried home to tell the disciples,

“I have seen the LORD!”

How her face must have glowed! She knew everything would be different from now on.

Like Mary, I want to shed my doubts and welcome the miracle of resurrection life. I want to live in expectancy: What new thing is the living Christ going to do in my life (my family) today?

by Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

•  The Easter Story – the story of Christ’s death and resurrection
•  Easter Articles

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The post Christ is Risen Indeed appeared first on Thoughts About God.

This Easter I was impressed with the newness that the Risen Christ brings to our lives. Being reminded of how His death conquered all that drags us down truly brings us back to the roots of our faith and our freedom. The “stuff of life” can easily distract and pull us away from the life changing truth that is ours on a daily basis.

With renewed commitment today I want to take to heart the words of Hebrews 12.

“… let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.’ Hebrews 12:1-2

1 Peter 1:13 tells us exactly how to do this in very practical terms:

– Prepare your mind. Keep scripture fresh in your thoughts.
– Be self-controlled. Pay attention to where your focus lies.
– Set your hope fully on the grace to be give you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Let’s receive the grace offered to us on a daily basis,  knowing that the trials of life are not the enemy. Rather the enemy is the choice of becoming lost in the trail and failing to grasp the grace held out to us daily to sustain us through the trial.

So let’s run with the grace given to us for today, and trust God with the tomorrows of our lives. His grace will meet us when we get to tomorrow.

Christ is risen indeed! May we walk in the power and grace of the risen Christ.

By Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• The Easter Story – the story of Christ’s death and resurrection

•   I Want to Know Him! Christ and his Resurrection Power

•  Salvation Explained

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The post Christ is Risen! appeared first on Thoughts About God.