الاعتداء على موجات الأثير
Easter devotion
Easter Sunday is a tale of two gardens.
One was the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve sinned. They were exiled and God stationed an angel to keep them out.
The other was a garden in Jerusalem, where Jesus, the second Adam, rose from the dead and ended that exile.
This time, angels welcomed people, because Jesus had healed the rift between humanity and God
Sadly, religion can dilute the life-changing truths of the Easter story.
But the resurrection can help you in your daily struggles.
John 20 describes a group women preparing spices to anoint Jesus’ body. They didn’t expect him to rise again.
Then the following morning, they left home in the dark and went to the tomb.
Four soldiers had been standing guard, and the women them to break the seal on the tomb and move the huge stone.
But when they arrived, the soldiers had gone, and the stone had been rolled away.
Mary Magdalene wanted to know where Jesus’ body was and rushed off to get Peter and John. John arrived first, but Peter went inside. Then they left Mary on her own.
An angel asked Mary why she was crying. Then she turned and saw a man standing there.
She thought he was a gardener and only recognised him when he used her name.
There are some lessons in that passage that can help us.
First, Jesus is nearer than you think.
You search for him – and then discover that he’s standing right beside you.
Second, it’s important to remain at the place of revelation.
Peter went inside the tomb, and ‘believed’. But then he and John went home.
In contrast, Mary remained - and met Jesus. Do not be in a hurry to leave when God is moving.
Where are you going next?
Third, you do have to move on eventually.
I’ve been to the Garden Tomb many times.
It’s a place of sweet beauty … next door to a bus station.
Some people don’t like that. You’ll be more likely to find Jesus in the bus station than the garden.
Jesus moved on and so did everyone else that first Easter morning.
Peter and John went back home. Mary joined them later. The angels went on their next mission.
Jesus disappeared and later visited the disciples.
Jesus is not where you last met him.
He’s moved on. The garden is great to visit. But not somewhere to remain.
Fourth, God uses the committed.
Mary Magdalene was a remarkable woman. Jesus delivered her from seven demons. But she wasn’t just delivered - she was devoted. She wasn’t just freed – she was faithful and went to work with Jesus.
She was a stayer. She was present at Jesus’ trial; she heard Pontius Pilate pronounce the death sentence. She saw Jesus whipped and then humiliated by the crowd.
She was there at crucifixion. She was first at the grave.
Mary is a wonderful example of how Jesus uses the unqualified.
In that culture, women were rarely called to testify as witnesses.
But God chose her. The same as he chooses you. He turns your disqualification into his diploma.
Mary shows how to respond to the risen Jesus.
It means recognising him in the unexpected. Sticking around long enough for him to impact us and then moving on to wherever he leads.
Cleland Thom
Cleland helps to lead a praying community based in the United Kingdom.
الصور والفيديو للنور المقدس في بيت لحم
عيد الفصح – زمن الوحي
رسالة أحد الفصح من قبر المسيح