On the first Easter, we see the risen Jesus! Even His closest followers were surprised to see Him alive. We see God’s power to rise from the dead. But three days earlier was a dark day. Even though He had told His followers that He would die and rise again, it was a dark day full of tears and grief at the foot of the cross.
If we really believe that anything is possible with God, then even in those dark days we have hope — even in the midst of tears and grief.
I remember the day that we were at the Missionary Learning Center with our house, car, and belongings all sold, suitcases packed and weighed for the six of us (we had four children at the time), and our visas to enter Venezuela were unexpectedly denied. We tried to put aside our disappointment as we waved goodbye to all of the other missionaries launching into their fields; then had to turn to the task of regrouping. A few days later my husband experienced a minor accident in our newly rented car that caused him to go to the doctor with neck pain. This led to the discovery of a fairly large tumor wrapped around his spinal cord at the point where the nerves that controlled breathing and use of limbs join at the back of his neck. I was in shock with the turn of events. I shed tears in the face of what was happening to my husband and all of the unanswered questions about the future. But, the doctor explained that had our visas been approved and we had been in the mountains of VZ with this tumor, the chances of his survival would have been small. It was pressing on those nerves and could have paralyzed him and stopped his breathing at any moment. It became crystal clear that God loved us so much that He was behind our life-saving denied visas and a fender bender. My husband went through a risky surgery and recovered a few months later just in time for approved visas to Venezuela and the launch of our missionary ventures.
We have to trust Him in the dark days because Resurrection Day is coming!! Whether it be in this life or the next our hope is in the God that has the power to rise from the dead! Hallelujah, He is risen!!!
Philippians 1:21 – We win whether we live or die!
Romans 8:28 – God will work even through our tears and grief to bring good to our lives!
Matthew 28:6 – “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said!” Anything is possible with God!