Wings of Healing Worship Center

“From Despair To Hope”

Sister Susan Green

Earlier this month we celebrated Easter, since then I’ve been thinking alot about the disciples and how everything must have looked for them. They had followed Jesus and saw all the miracles that He had performed, listened to His words and His teachings. Just to watch Him go to the cross, suffer and die such a horrible death for sins they knew he wasn’t guilty of.

I think about how lost and alone they must have felt. To watch him die upon the cross, His body to be taken down and laid in a tomb. I wonder if they thought; “it’s over, He’s gone, it’s back to the old life without Jesus.”

I’m sure they remembered His words. I wonder if they really believed or associated his words with what was really coming. Because we know from past chapters, having seen the miracles, it was still hard for them to believe some of the things He did. It’s like thier mind couldn’t comprehend each new thing that He did. He was constantly amazing them!

So to see this man go from being their friend and their master, their Rabbi, to see him go from walking with them, doing nothing but good for everyone He came in contact with. To see Him go from theat vibrant, good, wonderful person, to the unrecognizable man on the cross and the to go from that man on the cross to the body that was laid in the tomb.

I think so much about the hopelessness they must have felt, how totally bereft they must have been. The sorrow must have been unexplainable. They must have been like sheep having no master, no shepherd, they scattered. They had been with Him and now they were without Him. They didn’t know what to do. What a terrible time it must have been.

But as the song says; “then came the morning…”! And oh what a morning! When Mary went to the tomb and saw the stone rolled away and heard the Angel say; “He is not here. He has risen! He has risen! “And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:6)

They were almost afraid to believe. But then they saw Him! “Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” (Mark 16:9,14)

And it solidified everything He had ever told them. How wonderful! How truly wonderful that must have been! Hope rose with the dawn!

That’s what the Easter Season is, hope! Because the Bible says that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is going to quicken my mortal body. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Romans 8:11)

He went away to prepare a place for me, so that He could come again, that where He is, I can be also. “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2-3)

It’s hope! Paul says that if his only hope was in this life, he would be of all men most miserable. That is so true! “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (I Corinthians 15:19)

 If you look at the shape the world is in, with everything that has been happening, things that are unimaginable, things that the world is allowing. A complete and total abomination to God. If it were not for our walk with God and our relationship with Him, how would we ever make it through?! How would we ever be able to stand it?!

I thank God that my hope is not in this life! My hope is not in this life! And I thank God that; “ because he lives, I can face tomorrow!” and every tomorrow until he comes! Because that’s my hope! I serve a risen savior that’s coming back for me! To take me where He is! Where I can forever be with Him

So the Easter Season to me, while there’s a lot of sadness with Good Friday, the utter despair of the cross is overshadowed by the hope of His resurrection!

Praise God!