Meditations in the Time of the Virus

This Changes Everything!

"Easter changes everything!" And
"Easter is the unchanging fact that makes everything new."

When you put those 2 things together it means that the Resurrection of Jesus sweeps away everything else. All kingdoms and powers; all enemies and hindrances to the Kingdom of God. No matter what nation, power, philosophy, movement, or force every one of them will be pushed aside by the power and force of the life that is in Jesus and has come out of the tomb with Him in order to take hold of us and make us eternally living -- with Jesus and transformed to be like Him. The final enemy to be destroyed is death. It will be destroyed, yielding to the Eternal Life that is in Jesus as He pours that Eternal Life into our souls and then into our bodies.

So, Alleluia! Christ Is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

The words, "This changes everything!" are interesting words in the middle of so much change. How many weeks ago were we happily going about our business. We traveled, went to restaurants, met in large groups, worshiped together, and even shook hands. And then changes came, the most radical and extreme I have ever seen in such a short time. Things will change again. Nothing is permanent here. But the changes sweeping through are only variations in the pattern of life and death, sin and its consequences, and the struggle to hold on to something good.

None of the changes in the past months come anywhere close to -- and no change however wonderful or terrible in the months ahead come anywhere close to -- the undoing of death that Jesus has done. Not even dying, the end of this life, comes anywhere close to what Jesus has done.

He has taken hold of death and broken it. And nothing at all can keep on being what it was before.

Jesus begins the change in Himself, there within the tomb returning to life and transforming His body. Then Jesus changes us, beginning deep within the soul. The change in the soul is sudden and complete when the risen Lord Jesus speaks His words into our soul. Think about Mary Magdalene outside the tomb on Easter morning. She was weeping and in despair. But with one word Jesus completely changed everything. (Jesus said to her "Mary." - John 10:16) Suddenly she knew that Jesus lives, death is undone, and she is going to live forever with God. And so with a few words to the disciples in Emmaus (Luke 24:30-31), the ten in the upper room (Luke 24:36-43), Thomas a week later (John 20:27-28), Paul riding the road into Damascus (Acts 9:3-6), and the list goes on.

And there is more to come. Jesus will one day "transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:21) And then Easter will be complete.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! ...

Lord Jesus, there are so many changes in life, and these days are full of confusion. But in You I find eternity, and in Your empty tomb I have something that can not ever be undone. Help me to hope in everything You have promised, and to celebrate Easter and eternity through everything and anything that happens. Help me to have the refrain within my soul, "Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Amen."

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