See Jesus!

See Jesus!

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. Mark 16:6 NIV

The Inspiration:

It had been a terrible week for the women who followed Jesus during his earthly ministry. They ministered to all his needs, quietly helping and supporting Him. One of them poured all the contents of an alabaster box of expensive perfume on his feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. Another had 7 demons cast out of her, and her life was a daily lesson in gratitude for all she had received. Then, tragedy struck; the One they all called Rabbi and Master was arrested, tried without any semblance of justice and put to death like a common criminal. He was placed between 2 thieves, and suffered the worst kind of death a man could die in the Jewish world at the time, which is being hung on a tree. In fact, it was a curse to be put to death this way. Thst is what Jesus became so I could be blessed with eternal life; the kind which cannot end or die. Thank God the grave is not the final picture presented to us in this story.

The Contention:

Jesus was put to death, and these women were still there, seeking to do what they could to honour the body. They noted the place where he was buried, and they prepared spices to anoint his body. They knew a stone was rolled to the entrance of the tomb and the stone sealed, yet they left home, wondering who would help roll the stone away. They were not going to be held back by the limits on their paths, but they went on anyway. The person who recognizes what s/he has received from God would not need to be compelled to seek Him. The woman from whom 7 demons were cast out was there. For me, the question then is: "Do I know the value of the gift I have been given?". It was as if the women had forgotten completely that this same Jesus told them He would be raised from the dead in 3 days. When it was time for the grave to let Him go, there was absolutely nothing the grave could do. 

The Conclusion:

Just as the angels spoke to the women in the verse above, so does God desire that I pause and consider these points: "What would I do with Jesus? How do I see him?" It is very important to note that how I see God will define how I relate with Him. I can't take a part of Him that suits my narrative and then reject the parts that make me uncomfortable. The message of the cross is a complete message, as it also embraces the pain and the pleasure; the gory details and the glory to be made manifest. He was indeed crucified, and He was also raised from the dead. All that seek to keep me imprisoned and limited are destroyed today. I want to see Jesus as He really is; I look at the place He lay, and I am assured that if death could not hold him down, nothing can hold me back. He is not in the grave; I am made alive so I can testify to God's goodness and grace. Is that how you see Him? God's time of favour is here.