I was about six years old. It was winter and I had just walked home from school. I took off my boots at the open front door of our house. To support myself, I put my hand inside the back side of the open door on the hinge side. My younger sister didn’t know my hand was there and she started to close the door. On my fingers! Pain swooped in like a meteor hitting the earth. I screamed in pain and she quickly opened the door, but the damage was done. My mother wasn’t home but my grandma was there. She quickly rushed to my side and bandaged my fingers. The pain began to subside, but still hurt. No bones were broken, only flesh and in that pain, I only wanted my mother’s calm assurance that I’d be OK. I can still remember that all I wanted was my mama! I wanted her hug and soothing voice. My grandma, whom I loved very much was there, but it was Mama’s presence I wanted more.

I wonder what the disciples thought as they hid in a room, fearing they’d be arrested just like Jesus had been arrested. They might even die, as he did. They just wanted their leader and messiah back. But then something happened.

Early that Sunday morning Mary Magdalene and the other Mary walked to the tomb. Perhaps they just wanted to be near where their Messiah had been laid, just as some people find comfort in visiting their loved one’s grave site. In this case, the following happened:

Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint (Matthew 28: 2-4 NLT).

Whenever we enter a Christian church, most likely you will see a cross. In some, you will see a cross with Jesus on it, in agony. I appreciate the reminder of what Jesus did for us, by dying on the cross, but he did not stay there. He was placed in a tomb, dead. And as he promised, on the third day, he rose from the dead.

I’ve been a Christian since I was a very young girl and have heard what the gospels–Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John say about Jesus’ death and resurrection, but it was only this year, that I realized something I hadn’t thought through. Jesus didn’t roll the stone to get out of the tomb–the angel rolled the stone away. The guards–who we could most likely compare to our elite forces–“shook with fear.” They had faced death most likely many times, but in this incident: they fell into a dead faint.

The story continues,

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me” (Matthew 28:8-10).

Jesus had a new body when he rose from the dead. He no longer required the stone to be rolled away for him to come out of the tomb. The stone was rolled to show the tomb was empty! My son wrote this statement about the resurrection: Jesus didn’t slowly roll out of bed that day. His spirit returned in a flash of energy so spectacular that it left an image in his burial linen. 

So what does that mean to us? He’s no longer on the cross. It is empty and most importantly, so is his grave!

This week, I’ve been reading about what the Resurrection means to us individually. The first is presence. Jesus was God, yet he was on this earth in a human form. That meant he could only be in one place at a time. Many times, people looked for him and couldn’t find him. He was off by himself praying or with other people. He could only be in one place at a time. But now, he is present all of the time. The Lord is near (Philippians 4:5b NIV). What an assurance we’ve been given. Jesus is always present with us through the Holy Spirit.

I’m once again in awe of what the resurrection of Jesus Christ means to me. He is always present with us! Ponder that this week.

Next week I’ll write about another aspect of the Resurrection, peace. But for now, let’s focus on the presence of God. When we place our faith and trust in Jesus, he is always present.

“Lord Jesus, thank you for dying in my place. For taking the wrath that was meant for us on that cross. And then you rose from the dead. The tomb is empty! Remind me once again, that you are with us always–“to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

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Enjoy the song below. Stay with it til the end.