Death to Life

Bible Verse: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.’” John 11:25a

This weekend we are probably experiencing one of our last cold snaps of the season. Winter is almost gone and Spring is here. This last season has exhibited cold temperatures, bare trees, brown grass, and gloomy clouds. The coming season is bringing sunshine and rain, warmth and light, green grass and beautiful flowers. The contrast is striking. We have been surrounded by the dead of Winter and are now enveloped in the life of Spring; from death to life.

This weekend is also Easter weekend and it provides us with a clear look at death and life; the death of Christ and Him coming back to life. There’s a stark contrast from what happens to Jesus on Friday and what happens on Sunday. The gloom, pain, agony, and sorrow that surrounded His death contrasted with the joy, hope, excitement, and light that surrounded His life and resurrection. Jesus was crushed by the weight of the world, held by the grip of death and then revived and freed when breath filled His lungs again. He is powerful! Our God died and then He came alive again; He went from death to life. This God is the only One I know who can go from cold stone dead to breathing and full of life. This Savior, this Friend, this Overcomer is my God and He can do anything. He was dead but He came back to life!

What about you? What’s your situation? Are you dead or alive? Are you dead in sin, shame, fear, etc.? How will come alive again? Can you go from death to life? Can God resurrect you? So often life seems unbearable, catastrophic, and completely hopeless. How could God save me from this mess? How could God bring hope here? How could God bring me back from the grave I have dug myself? As one of my favorite songs say, “The resurrected King, is resurrecting me.” No matter how far gone you feel, His resurrection power can raise you. No matter how dead you feel inside, the One who overcame death can revive you back to life. No matter how powerless, helpless, hopeless, or worthless you feel, Jesus has felt it too and overcame it all! Jesus rose from the grave and He can raise you too. You and I can have a living hope because our God is alive! He is the resurrection and the life and He can bring us from death to life.

Prayer

God, You were dead and now You’re alive. You are the resurrected King and You can do anything! Please, resurrect me. Take my heart and bring it back to life. Revive me with new life in You. In Jesus name, amen.