Tears Of Fear, Tears Of Joy!

March 28, 2024

Tears Of Fear, Tears Of Joy!

There were tears flowing from a heart overwhelmed with grief and loss.

There were tears flowing from a mind confused by things that did not make sense.

There were tears flowing from a soul consumed with fear of what might or might not happen next.

There were tears flowing from a body exhausted with all that had seemingly gone wrong.  

There were tears flowing from a heart that could just barely begin to trust the promises of God.

There were tears flowing from a mind that was seeing life where before there was only dead dreams, dead ends, and a dead friend.

There were tears flowing from a soul over-filled with joy in the power and presence of God.

There were tears flowing from a body that could not move fast enough to gather with other believers.

There were tears flowing from a heart experiencing the first glimpse of hope.

There were tears flowing from a mind wondering how to share the good news with friends.

There were tears flowing from a soul intimately connected with the amazing love of the Savior.

There were tears flowing from a body that wanted to embrace the risen Christ but could not yet.

Stones rolled away when all she wanted to do was care for His tortured, mutilated, and dead body.  Linen clothes folded nicely when all she wanted to do was wrap His body more carefully for a proper burial.

Silence broken by a kind voice calling to her when all she wanted to do was have someone tell her everything was going to be OK.  An expression of gentleness and understanding when all she wanted to do was have the Savior take her by the hand and lead her back to peace and joy and love.

It’s Easter; a day of great joy and many tears, a day of amazing victory and utter defeat, a day of unmatched power and overwhelming weakness.  It is a day that changes everything in this life and in life on the other side of death.  But, Easter is not an easy day!

John tells us Mary came to the tomb of Jesus with her arms loaded down with supplies to prepare Jesus’ body for a proper Jewish burial.  At the same time, her heart is loaded down with sadness, fear, and confusion as well as with broken dreams, deep loss, and utter loneliness.

When things could not get any worse, they do.  When the pain could not go any deeper, it does.  When the desperation could not get any more devastating, it does. 

Mary’s world is unraveling so fast she turns one direction and then another direction and then repeats the cycle two more times.  She does not know what to do next or what direction to go next.  The reality is Mary is losing a sense of who she is in the midst of her deep sadness and paralyzing fear and utter confusion.

The Risen Jesus calls out to Mary.  In John 21:16 Jesus simply calls her by name; “Mary!”  It is in that moment that Mary recognizes the man in the garden as the Risen Savior.  Although she did not know it at first, Mary is standing in the presence of the living Lord!

Even when everything begins to change, the tears are still damp on Mary’s cheeks.  She is still confused by what all this means and she is still alone in her grief and amazement.

When Jesus’ healing and hope and help begins to intersect our pain, we find ourselves in a similar place.  We trust Jesus will bring healing, but we still hurt.  We believe Jesus will restore our hope, but we still wonder if it could be true for us.  We have faith Jesus will provide the help we need, but our hearts are still broken and the tears are still damp on our cheeks.

Easter invites us to trust our Savior is risen and even when we still hurt that Jesus will heal and will help and will restore hope.  Our part is to trust Jesus to do these things even while we seem surrounded by darkness and the dampness of tears is still on our cheeks.

Mary’s first response is to throw herself into Jesus’ arms.  However, Jesus pulls back.  It is too soon; Jesus must first go to His Heavenly Father.  It is interesting that Mary does not give up hope in the risen Savior just because He does not respond to her needs and her prayers in exactly the way she wants and exactly when she wants. 

I am inspired by Mary’s complete reliance on the risen Savior.  She is eager to fully surrender her heart, mind, soul, and body to be in the presence of the living and loving Lord.  Even when she cannot fully comprehend and cannot fully embrace, she trusts the Risen Christ.

I want to do the same this Easter; i.e., I want to eagerly and fully surrender my heart, mind, soul, and body to Jesus so I can be in the presence of the living and loving Lord. 

I invite you to do the same!  Make time and space to be in a place of worship on Easter.  Engage in a conversation with Jesus in which you commit to a complete reliance, a sold-out surrender, and a full submission to the risen Jesus as your Savior and as the Lord of your life.

When you and I do as Mary did, we will want to share the good news of a Risen Savior with the people we know.  There is no better good news, no greater joy, no deeper peace!   As you share the hope of Easter with others, you will find your heart being filled with a new and deeper delight in the Lord God.

I pray you have an inspiring and encouraging Easter.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug