He is Risen!

Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. Then the angel spoke to the women, "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. (Matthew 28:2, 4-6 NLT)

Today's Holy Week meditation:

• The guards with their swords and armor, their bluster and bravado, fell as dead men in the presence of the resurrection, which is an apt illustration of what happens in our lives when darkness encounters the Light, when the insurmountable meets the Savior.

Give thanks today for the words of the angel at the tomb when he said:

• "Don't be afraid!" Don't fear death, its darkness, its mystery. Don't fear life, its twists and turns, its uncertainties.
• "I know you are looking for Jesus." May we always look for Jesus, in our decisions, in our plans, in our work, always finding him and following obediently.
• "He is risen from the dead just as he said." Jesus' does what he says he will do. Count on it. And because he has solved the problem of death, he is alive today to help meet our every challenge of life.

Pray First in every circumstance, challenge, and choice. Always Pray First!