Matthew 28

This post is many things -

The end of the first book I've completed.

A return after a long break/abscence/period of neglect.

Really tough to write.

My favorite song these days is Sunday by Tree 63. Here's a cute video with the song as background.





So, lately I have been living like it's just plain Friday - like Jesus died and that's the end of it, if you're in too much of a hurry to listen to the song. I don't feel good physically, I'm not getting enough sleep, the kids are endlessly sick, and my job is miserable.



Sometimes, that's how I look at the gospel story, too - like we're in this holding period, this long epoch of time where everything is a bummer and there isn't much to be done about it because, hey, "we live in a fallen world," "God didn't promise happiness in this life," or pick some other churchy platitude.



Reading the Word, I can't maintain that attitude. Jesus was already ressurrected from the dead. Yes, "Sunday" is still coming in the big picture - God is going to redeem the world and reign over it, and that is in the future. But Sunday already came, too. Jesus already defeated death and he already gave you and me the power to live in victory. The world - as in creation - is still in bondage to sin, but I am not. I don't have to feel sorry for myself and drudge around here in my infirmities and irritations. I'm still going to have suffering, but God already redeemed my sufferings. Not one second of unhappiness is wasted, but rather every bump and bruise is doing God's work - every tear is shaping my character by the same miraculous power that let the Colorado River shape out the Grand Canyon.



I don't enjoy it, but I have no reason to wallow in it:



28:5-7



The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus, who has been crucified.6 He is not here. He has risen from the dead as he said he would. Come and see the place where his body was. And go quickly and tell his followers, 'Jesus has risen from the dead. He is going into Galilee ahead of you, and you will see him there.' " Then the angel said, "Now I have told you."