The Power of the Resurrection

resurrection-1Lent
March 11, 2016

Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:4b-14

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
 –Philippians 3:10-14

Approximately halfway through Lent, it might be a good idea to consider just what we think about the power of Jesus’ resurrection. First do we appreciate its power? There are lots of books written about the resurrection some thinking it a symbolic representation of God’s presence with us; others strongly accepting the bodily resurrection. I must confess I do get amused sometimes at the lengths we go trying to wrap our minds around the infinite. Getting to know the heart of God is a lifelong task and I, for one, don’t plan to stop my pursuit.

The first thing in considering the power of the resurrection is that in 2016 it still matters. One man who walked the earth some 2000+ years ago turned the world upside down. Now that is power. It is so much power that political pundits today seem to have the need to use it for their own purposes as have others.

The most important aspect of the power of the resurrection for most of us, if we really stop to think about it, is how very much love it demonstrates for each of us and all of us.

Prayer: Lord, we adore you, lay our lives before you because you loved us first and showed us what love is and how to love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.