"He is not here, but is Risen"

He is not here, but is risen

-Luke 24:6

What does this mean to me?

We should probably start with a confession:  I sin. A lot. From the moment Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, somewhere up in in the pre-exsistence, I knew I was doomed to be disobedient and rebellious. I knew that if my spirit left the safe arms of my Heavenly Father to receive a body like His, that I would inevitably make mistakes and break rules I had been given.  I knew sometimes I might treat people unkindly, I might be dishonest, I might not be so humble or that I would give in to temptations and I knew that when that happened, I couldn't go back into those Loving Arms again and I would have to suffer the punishment of breaking commandments. 

Why in the sam heck did I go then?  

It doesn't really make sense, after all,  how many things would you try if you absolutely knew you would fail?

Well, I knew Someone up there who loved me very much, and He had a plan. 

He would come to Earth, sinless and clean and perfect, BUT, He would suffer all the pain and punishment of the broken laws for me and those who were His brothers and sisters.  He would be the intercessor between me and my Father, suffering for me and pleading my case. This way I could receive a body, and even though I would inarguably far very short of the standard, I could return again to those Loving Arms after I had tried my hardest to be good. 

So, He came down to Earth, and He taught, and blessed and  loved everyone He met. However, some had forgotten in their mortality, who He was, and they would not listen. They did not want Him. But still He prayed for them and all His family. He experienced all the hurt, past, present or future, that the world could ever know. For me he suffered needle pokes, high and low blood sugars, guilt, disappointment and fear.  Yet, even still after such an unselfish act, He was captured and tortured and falsely accused. He was killed for imaginary crimes. Curiously, He had all the power needed to stop this from happening, but as a lamb to the slaughter, He would not. 

He could not, because He loved me too much, and because He knew this was the only way.

Those who knew who He was and what He had done were sad when He died. However, three days later, they rejoiced for He returned! Shining with all the glory of His Father in Heaven, He was not dead, but living! Soul and body reunited and holy! Though once dead, He lived. Now, we shall all conquer death as He did because He has paved the way. 

He is the means through which I can make amends to God for my misdeeds, if I choose to repent. 

He is the man who always knows what it feels like to hurt in all the ways one can hurt, so I know that when I feel like the only one, he can lift my burden and show me He understands.

He has made it possible for my spirit to be forever united with my body when I am resurrected so I can be just like my Heavenly Father. 

He is my friend, my brother, my personal advocate. 

HE LIVES!

His work was not finished in Gethsemane, nor when His body was laid in the tomb.

 He even still actively prays for, and seeks to bless and comfort me when I am humble enough to ask for it.  To quote the words of the Hymn, I Know That My Redeemer Lives,

"He lives to bless me with his love,
He lives to plead for me above,
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to bless in time of need."

"He is not here, but is risen." = Happy Easter Everyone.

You are Loved.