A Miraculous Morning
But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.” – Matthew 28:5-6
Easter fun has arrived at our house! Straw bunnies have hopped out of cardboard boxes onto our dining table, along with pastel eggs and candles. In the kitchen, a dozen eggs are hard-boiling to be stuffed, a coconut cake rises dreamily in the oven, and chocolates are dancing into wicker baskets.
Funny how springtime Easter traditions have taken over our materialistic landscape in America, like inflatable Santas at Christmastime...but it’s a far cry from the events of two millennia ago.
As you read the Gospel accounts, try to visualize that first Easter morning when a small cadre of women went to the tomb.
Imagine the horror of the past week as these faithful women, among them Mary Magdalene, watched their beloved Rabbi go from triumphant entry into Jerusalem to His arrest as a common criminal outside the gates. They grieved through His grueling trial and torture, the grisly public murder, and His burial in death. Their hopes for the long-awaited Messiah went from mountaintop highs to a depth-of-the-seas abyss.
Yet these women still loved Him. They followed the procession from His crucifixion so they would know exactly where He would be interred. They sat nearby while His blood-stained body was wrapped in clean linens, laid inside the crypt, and sealed up by a heavy stone. They prepared funereal spices and fragrant oils for anointing their Lord, a final act of respect. Then they waited for the Sabbath to end.
Picture these women, weary from mourning, gathering in the pre-dawn gloom to go to Christ’s grave, with worry etched on their faces about getting past the guards and rolling the stone back. Can you feel their shock and amazement at finding angels instead of Jesus? Can you see them running, as fast as their sandals and long robes would allow, to find the other disciples and tell them He’s missing?
I see Mary Magdalene standing alone, grieving anew, helpless to absorb the events and absence of Christ’s body. Through tear-blurred eyes, she desperately pleads with a “gardener” to tell her where Jesus was taken so she can retrieve His tortured flesh. Instead, this man reveals magnificent news—He is the risen Christ.
Friend, will you and I be like these faithful few who persevered through suffering to witness God’s victory over death? This Easter, will you examine your soul, mourn for your wicked nature, and trust Jesus to cover your sins and sorrows? Will you prepare your heart, as these women did, to honor Him as your Savior?
Let’s look beyond the plastic rabbits and candy-filled eggs to the eternal miracle of the resurrection. Jesus is alive! He has paid the penalty for our wrong-doing and offers us grace upon grace—the promise of a heavenly home with Him.
Jesus drives the darkness out of our souls so we can embrace His salvation and joy. Let’s prepare now to worship Him as our risen Lord and King—at Easter and into everlasting life.
Questions for Reflection:
- Will you and I be like these faithful few who persevered through suffering to witness God’s victory over death?
- This Easter, will you examine your soul, mourn for your wicked nature, and trust Jesus to cover your sins and sorrows?
- Will you prepare your heart, as these women did, to honor Him as your Savior?
