God will not leave things in the mourning manner

Sophia Lorena Benjamin

Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

John 19

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

 The 6^th of August, it’s the fourth year now, and like every year around this date the memory surfaces fresh of a sad night. Thinking of Mom and the night she was gone. The memory tries to grieve me. I battle the grief; my strength is the word of God to help me defeat that grief.

 John chapter 19 mentions a gloomy night and grief that can bring a sense of hopelessness.  As I try to imagine how that night must have been, my mind conjures up  a picture of  Mary Magdalene feeling a similar sense of hopelessness. Jesus; her teacher, that she so dearly loved was crucified on the cross.

 There was too much of love, trust and dependence she had put upon him. Spending time with Jesus had begun to be the most precious thing to her and now suddenly he was no more to be seen.

Perhaps, she thought she would at least look at his dead body and console herself. Didn’t she realize that it was God, who was the creator of this master plan of sending His son Jesus to save this world? Could He leave things to end up in such a mourning manner? Can He create and leave His creation to mourn for good?

We tend to think that way, especially when things end abruptly. Isn’t it thinking too low of God? Happens with not just loved ones but with careers, marriages, relationships, finances, health and more. Come on, He is a great Father, and the Bible says there is nothing that is impossible to Him and that He loves us dearly.

Moving forward in the concluding chapter of John; Mary is grieved and looking desperately for the dead body.

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

John 20 New King James Version (NKJV)

 Yes! God had done it. Raised Jesus from the dead and through his resurrection, He poured upon the earth the power to resurrect things. Applies to all; people, jobs, marriages, failed plans, broken relationships, families. The greatest news of it all was the resurrection power. Now, the dead in Christ would live again. The resurrection power had wiped away the weeping, the mourning and the grief, replacing it with joy and laughter.

Can you imagine the sudden beauty of that glorious morning when Jesus suddenly rose from the dead?

The sun must have shone in all its brightness. The dry weeds must have turned into lush green shrubs. The withering flowers blooming again bright and beautiful. The hopeless seeing hope once again. Almost magically, the mourning turning into dancing. Sorrow turning into joy.  As if in  celebration, white clouds  bursting out splashes of silver lining. The fields and the birds cheering. Music at its highest note, angels singing ‘He is risen!’

God had not left things in the mourning manner.

 He had done it. And so shall it be for those who believe in the son of God. God will not leave things in the mourning manner. The resurrection power will be given to raise all things dead; to give hope to the hopeless, to mend broken hearts, to make family ties stronger, to restore careers, marriages, dreams, bank balance, to flourish businesses, to revive past glory, sinners repenting, the lost found, the lame walk, the blind see and the sick healed.

 Oh the resurrection power! If only we believe!

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