Monday April 10, 2023

Today is Easter Monday, April 10 and we are exploring what the Bible says about the Risen Christ.

As I begin this time of prayer, I still my body, quiet my mind and slow my breathing. I inhale the joy and peace of God’s loving presence. I exhale the worries, troubles and concerns I have carried with me.

Pause and Pray

Holy and blessed Lord, I long for you to speak into my life and circumstances. Give me ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart to understand the good message you have for me today as I study your Holy Word. Amen.

I rejoice in God’s steadfast love and praise him with the words of Psalm 104.

I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD. Psalm 104:33-34

Pause and Pray

Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross at Golgotha and the enormous curtain of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Jewish Council, went to the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, and asked to take possession of Jesus’ dead body. Those who were condemned and crucified were normally given dishonorable burials in a mass grave assigned to the worst criminals. Joseph insisted on providing Jesus an honorable burial. Pontius Pilate agreed. Joseph took Jesus’ lifeless body down from the cross, gently wrapped it in a new linen cloth and placed it in a tomb carved out of rock. He rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb to seal it.
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.” Mark 16:1-6a

Over the centuries, a prolific abundance of sermons, essays, inspirational material and devotions have been written on this passage from Mark chapter sixteen. However, today I do not necessarily want to hear what others have said about the empty tomb of Jesus. I want to hear what God is saying to me about the empty tomb of Jesus. I join the three women and walk quietly alongside them in the gentle rays of the early morning light. I come looking for the crucified Jesus in an ancient tomb carved out of rock and sealed with an enormous stone.
Ask: What are the questions and concerns on my mind this morning? What might the stone or the sealed tomb represent in my current circumstances?

Pause and Pray

Blessed Lord Jesus, I am looking for you this morning as a new day dawns. There are obstacles and challenges that threaten to prevent me from experiencing the abiding joy of your presence. Who will roll away the stone for me today? Who will remove the barriers that keep me from your love? I long to be utterly free to worship you as my Risen Lord! I read the words from Mark again and listen for the message you have for me.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.” Mark 16:1-6a

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

God wants to speak to me through the words of Mark’s Gospel and I desire to hear and understand. I strive to listen carefully to how God is informing my soul and circumstances. Whatever word or phrase that stands out to me – I record it in my journal and carry it with me throughout my day. I consider the images of the spices, the stone, the tomb, the angel, and the women. I contemplate where I might find myself in this story. What has died in my life – a dream, a promise, a hope, a joy? What have I been searching for that is no longer there?

Pause and Pray

Lord Jesus, I invite you into the deepest recesses of my soul and ask you to reveal the stones I have erected and the dead tombs I have forgotten. Show me what needs to be opened and exposed to your power and grace. Uncover the darkened corners of my heart where I have lost hope and shine the light of new life into my lonesome spirit. Amen.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3-4

I leave this time of prayer filled with the hope of the Risen Christ! I go to shine his light and share his love with a dark and hurting world.

Amen