Have you been focusing on death or resurrection?
At Easter time we remember how loved we were by God, who sent His own Son to suffer and die for our sins. The sacrifice of an immaculate lamb that cleansed us and made us the Father’s family.
But what about in our day-to-day life? Have we been focusing on the resurrection?
The lost
“At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’)“
It’s beautiful how Jesus gave Himself for so many people who didn’t deserve even a drop of His sweat. The sixth shows us this pain and makes us recognize His sacrifice.
But when we focus only on her, losing hope is inevitable.
People who loved Jesus suffered with Him, saw the Man they trusted and followed being killed in a cruel way. We humans know that death is the end here on earth. The people who were close to Him thought they would never again see the One who “was” the promise.
In our lifetime, in the midst of what seems like death, finding hope for life is virtually impossible.
But there was the unseen hope in that day, and there is now too.
The mourning
“Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.“
Matthew 27:59-61
The day after the crucifixion of the Messiah people only remembered the day before. It was just that image they had fresh in their memory, and that’s why there was pain and anguish. Saudade.
When we are in that day it seems that it passes much slower than usual. The pain present in moments like this gives us the feeling of going backwards, of not being able to walk anywhere anymore.
Jesus had told them that he would rise again, that was a promise from God. And we, too, have received several promises from the Scriptures. But imagine how difficult it was, in the midst of pain, to remember those words. But they were there waiting to come true.
It doesn’t really look like there will be a Sunday, but it will come. This is just the process moment…
And it was fulfilled…
“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, Who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where he lay.“
Matthew 28:5,6
And then comes the day we once saw only by faith: Sunday, rebirth. Now it is palpable and we can better understand the whole process that seemed like a mess when we were going through it.
On that day people received the news that Christ was no longer buried, He had risen. The promise was alive again!!
But to see that, they had to endure the pain of Friday and the process of Saturday.
See what I mean? Many times we are so focused on the pain and loss, trying to unravel the process ourselves and solve the whole web with our own understanding, that we forget that the Father did not rest in any of those 3 days.
He endured with Jesus the crucifixion;
He was working while there was mourning;
And it was He who brought back the Son!
There is a promise for you
“By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.“
1 Corinthians 6:14
It doesn’t matter which stage of this process you are in your life. Whether it’s the day of pain, the day of mourning or the day of living hope, understand that God is with you.
On the day after the crucifixion, it might seem to those people that God was standing still, but He was just silent.
God’s silence doesn’t mean He has forgotten you, it means He is working today to resurrect tomorrow what was lost yesterday.
by
Rapha Abreu
Rapha Abreu é Jornalista e Produtora cultural, e faz parte da equipe de marketing, redação e produção de conteúdo da Mr. Rocco.
