It’s the Monday after Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday. My heart recalls all of the emotions that went into this past week and rejoices as I hold onto the remaining fact that Christ is risen.
Christ was dead, but is risen… so I can rise, too.
Daily I struggle to adjust to the restraints that exist amidst the Coronavirus. I went to Walmart on Saturday and noticed that they had marked the exit and entrance doors with rope, forcing people to travel through the appropriate doors for the safety of all. Then once inside, everyone had on a mask. As I turned from left to right, every face was covered by a mask of some sort and everyone was ever so careful as to not come into the path of another. Separation and distancing- the way of the future. I constantly find myself wondering, “is this the new normal?”
I hate the word “normal.” After spending most of my adult years working with Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, I have learned that normal is not a word that should be in anyone’s vocabulary. I mean, what does the word even mean? According to Google, normal means to “conform to a standard” and I can’t help but wonder if that’s what we really want as a society? Do we really want to conform? Maybe it’s because I am innately rebellious and love to disagree for the sake of disagreeing, but the thought of conforming to anything and anyone is an idea that I don’t too relish. I was born to be free!
Yet as the weeks wear on and another Monday in quarantine is here, I am beginning to think that this is the new standard of living by which we must all conform.
Christ was dead, but is risen… so I can rise, too.
As I sit with my Chromebook, this is the only phrase that my heart hears. It echoes in the cavities of my body, reminding that as Christ was once dead but is now risen, I, too, can overcome what had me dead and in despair and obtain victory [in God] over it.
Think of the worst thing you have ever done. Think of how it affected you and those around you. Think of how it changed your life and who you have become because of it. I can only imagine that when it happened you felt like you would never forgive yourself or that you could never be forgiven. Yet here is truth: you can rise from that, too.
The greatest news that comes from Holy Week is that Christ died, was buried, indeed, but then He got up. Our Savior, our Kinsman Redeemer showed us that nothing had power over Him- nothing was beyond His control- not even death. It is so important that we remember that nothing has power over us because Christ overcame it all when He rose on that Resurrection Sunday morning. As my pastor said last year, every day is Resurrection Sunday. Everyday we walk in the mercies of Christ’s resurrection.
Beloved, what is troubling your heart today? What thought is consuming you in such a way that you feel it has too much control over you? Are you burdened by financial woes? Is your health or the health of a loved one troubling your heart? Are you concerned because of the news that is around you? Friend, what is troubling you right now? Whatever it may be, whatever situation or dilemma consumes you right now, know that Christ died for that, too, and in His resurrection, He overcame that, too.
I wish I had more for you today. To be very honest, my heart and head have been consumed for these past few ‘Rona weeks with things that are not very important in the grand scheme of things. In fact, it is a bit hypocritical of me to say this, but I have not spent the time understanding God’s purpose for this all as I have admonished you all to do. I have chosen instead to keep my eyes fixated on temporal things, losing sight of the greater of God. Even as I write this, tears flood my eyes because I know that I am missing what God is doing. The messages that I share weekly are not just for you and whomever you share it with, they are also for me. As always, everything that I write and share, I speak into a mirror so that its words are for me first and you also. In real time, I am struggling to accept the fact that I can rise, too. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christ overcame it all for you and for me, but I’m struggling to accept that just as I died with Him, I was resurrected with Him, too. So with that: These temporal things have no control over me because I can rise from that, too.
Christ was dead, but is risen… so I can rise, too.
I can rise, too.
This song comes to mind as I think about the fact that I can rise, too. I pray that this song blesses you in a new way.
I love you, friend; be blessed.
God Happened To ME Ministries, LLC 