Saturday, April 11, 2009

The Easter Message

Hey Y'all,

Tomorrow is one of my favorite days of the year! The day we celebrate the RISEN LORD JESUS!
Can't you just imagine...Oh to have been the angel that was commissioned to roll away the stone, or Mary Magdaline when He said her name.

There are two quick Easter stories I must tell you. I wasn't going to. I did not really want to post today. But I must tell both...I am compelled. So sit back and read them carefully because someone who reads them needs to hear them....hummmmm...It could even be me.

It was Palm Sunday. I had been helping a local church start a Special Needs Ministry. A group of adults with special needs had been coming to the church from a local institution. I sat behind them in the pews. Another leader sat with them in front of me.
This was a quiet church. A reverent place. A Holy place. The pastor a soft spoken man was delivering His message on the cross. It was very still and quiet. Then understanding broke through. One of the ladies in front of me came to realize just what the pastor was saying. She jumped to her feet grabbed her head with both hands and screamed, "Oh NO! They've killed my Jesus!" Gasps of fear filled the once quiet room. Then silence again as we held her and guided her back into her seat. Telling her it was OK that Jesus was alive, in as quiet a whisper as we could speak. The pastor who had been in shock, composed himself and added to his sermon the fact that Jesus rose on Easter Sunday morning. Everything went back to normal...except for her soft sobs. I sat there looking around the room and smiled....The truth is that although the pastor preached that Sunday Morning...She gave the sermon.
Why do I not feel that upset about the cross? It was for my sin He chose to go there...to die there. Have I heard the story so many times that I skip over the tragedy of the cross to the hope of the cross? It takes both. The tragedy of my sins and yours nailing Him...suffocating Him...turning the Father from Him. The Hope of the cross is that the very blood that makes this death a horror, also cleanses it to glorious whiteness. The empty tomb is the symbol of the defeated cross...the hope of the cross...the eternity of the cross. My Jesus did die there, but He took my sins...covered them with His blood and walked out of an empty tomb so that I could live with Him forever.

The second story is about the truth after the cross. I was on my way to church. I was to preform a monologue of Mary Magdaline. I had been praying about this performance and asking God to help me see, hear and experience what she might have felt there at the tomb. I mentioned to Him that I was a little jealous of her. After all, she got to actually touch Him, eat with Him, hug Him, Hear His voice call her name. As I said these words, my heart became more jealous and a little agitated that I would have to wait for His return to feel Him. Then new words swept over my mind and heart..."My dear Pamela, do not be jealous...yes, Mary got to experience my touch, and hear my voice...but my dear child...I live in you...you can feel me in a far greater way than that! You know my voice, you know my touch, I live inside you...my dear child we are one!"
Wow!

So this Easter...remember the cross...remember the empty tomb...remember He lives inside you and you are one with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!


I love you Happy Easter!
Pamela

5 comments:

Edie said...

Have a blessed Easter Pamela!
Much love to you!

Beverlydru said...

I love these stories, Pamela. May the joy of our Risen Savior be yours every day.

Runner Mom said...

Pamela, these were beautiful stories!! Thank you for sharing! I think the last one touched my heart even more as a great reminder!

Sweet Eater Blessings!
Susan

Kristen Myers said...

Pamela, I sit here writing this comment with tears streaming down my cheeks. Thank you for the sweet reminder that Jesus is living in all of us.

I pray that as I write this week I remember this. He is in me! There is nothing I can't do, with Jesus living out His life through me.

Blessings on you Easter Day!

LynnSC said...

Oh Pamela... thanks so much for sharing those stories with us. I am so glad that God compelled you to sit down and write... even when you didn't think you would.

Blessings,
Lynn