Awestruck

Luke 24:1-12 (The Message)

1-3 At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared.

They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn't find the body of the Master Jesus.

4-8 They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this.

Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there.

The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship.

The men said, "Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?"

Then they remembered Jesus' words.

9-11 They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to the Eleven and the rest.

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them kept telling these things to the apostles, but the apostles didn't believe a word of it, thought they were making it all up.

12 But Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb. He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes, that's all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head.

When last we left Luke...Jesus was being laid in the grave.

On Sunday morning, some of the women who had followed Jesus all the way to the cross followed him further still. They went to that tomb for the difficult but important work of caring for his body.

What they found (or didn't find) changed the world forever.

Luke's account is wonderfully sparse and lean. He tells us only what we need to know...the minimum that moves the story along.

His style has a wonderful way of communicating what the disciples must have felt. Confusion. Bewilderment. They are "puzzled," and left wiht shaking heads.

After all...how can this be?

Just a few days ago I found myself praying in earnest that God would answer a specific prayer. Before the day was out, I had seen it answered, in an amazing and complete way.

I found that my reaction was to be thankful...to praise God...but I'll admit to feeling at least a little puzzled...bewildered...head-shakingly so.

Was that really God, or just my imagination, or just the power of positive thinking?

The resurrection is our answer. God's ways are puzzling. They cause head shaking. And God's ways are always and forever wonderful. Yes, God does act. God does amazing things. In him all things are possible.

Will we dare to be awestruck...and to believe?

Father God, we give you all praise and glory for the wonderful, mind-bending, awe-inspiring resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are told that because he lives, we will live also. Our hope rests in him.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.