Easter weekend this year was emotional for my husband and me. Friday and Saturday we attended the visitation and funeral of a good friend from my college years. We celebrated his life and mourned his death.
On the way to the funeral another friend from high school texted me with news that her daughter had delivered her much awaited baby, and my friend was a grandma!
On Sunday we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Death and new life. Death and resurrection. It’s that “death” part that is difficult.
Theologically the resurrection is the basis of Christianity, and for there to be a resurrection there must be a death. Paul put it very succinctly: “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (1 Cor. 15:14) That about sums it up.
I believe it, but do I live it?
When we mourn a friend, or a family member, or even a dream, we need to live the resurrection. That is extremely difficult to do from the vantage point of this world where we believe, but we don’t see, resurrections. (Some people have seen or experienced resurrections, but most of us have not.)
I live the resurrection when I live like one who has died and has been given new life. I live the resurrection when I live in the Kingdom of Heaven instead of existing solely in the kingdoms of this world. I live the resurrection when I am not discouraged when a dream dies, because I have all of eternity to live out God’s plan for my existence.
Unfortunately, that is much easier said than done. Too often I live like one trapped in my old life, like one who knows little about God’s Kingdom and like one who thinks this life is all there is.
This life will disappoint us; count on it. We will have painful loss; there’s no way around it. The wonderful truth of the resurrection is that this life is just a short warm up for eternal life with Christ.
We cannot imagine what eternal life will be like. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him…” (1 Cor. 2:9)
It is completely beyond our earthly existence.
“The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body…Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will a be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. for the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 51-52
How do you live the resurrection?
Connecting Dots...to God 
Very thought provoking piece, Judy. My condolences on your loss. I find it intriguing how the Lord grants us spiritual insight when we are hurting and tender hearted, like at a time of grief. Excellent question, too. The kind Jesus would ask us.
So good! Thank you for sharing this post.
The power of Christ is what healed my trauma and depression. I’m in blessed recovery because of what Jesus did on the cross and by His resurrection. I live in this hope and power every single day.
Blessings to you…
Thanks for your inspirational comment Lori! The power of Christ is what heals all of us, isn’t it? I’m so glad you are healed, and even more impressed that you live in His hope and power every day. Blessings back to you!
Great thoughts here. Got me thinking. How do I live the resurrection? Knowing that Jesus + nothing = everything. It’s all about Him. I just finished reading that book, a great reminder of His perfect grace. When I know that truth, I can and will live the resurrection.
It is all about Him! Interestingly, He does not insist on people knowing or acting on that truth. Do you think that knowing it is the same as living it? Thanks for you comment Beth – more thinking…!
“How do you live the resurrection?”
I am alive because of the resurrection. If death would have kept Jesus in the grave, I would be dead and in hell right now. But thank God, he rose from the grave and set me free. So, I live the resurrection by being alive today. So far so good.
Thanks Larry – so far so good it is!