He Is Risen Indeed!

Josiah stayed with us in church today.  He didn’t want to go to his class, I wasn’t needed in the nursery, and my husband wasn’t playing the keyboard today so we kept him with us.  I had told him he needed to be quiet if he was going to be there.

He sang along with the worship and yelled right along with everyone “He is risen indeed!”  My heart soared and I couldn’t resist plastering some kisses on his sweet cheeks.  As the pastor spoke images appeared on the screens on either side of him.  Every time a cross would appear Josiah would exclaim, “Look Mami!  It’s the cross of . . . of . . . Jesus!”  And I would respond, “Yes sweetie, shhhhh.”  

Yes, I hushed his passion.  I hushed his excitement at hearing and seeing the gospel presented.  When I should have been reveling in the awesome gift God gave us and the power of His sacrifice and resurrection I was shushing instead.

Lord, I am amazed by your glory!  I am in awe of your presence.  I am grateful for your sacrifice.  I rejoice at your resurrection.  I am humbled by your forgiveness.  I am touched by your grace.  

But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries.  There is a nice symmetry in this: Death initially came by a man, and resurrection from death came by a man.  Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:20-22