Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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New Year's Day!Encounter With the Risen Lord


Lisa Skaria
Staten Island MTC, NY
10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

In Mathew 28:1-10, we read about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The angel who announced the good news to the women told them that: 

1- "Do not be afraid" (v. 5) - Sometimes the reality of resurrection may bring on the emotion of fear and dismay, but rather it should instead bring joy and peace. When you are afraid remember the empty tomb and what the risen Lord has promised and has done. 

2- "He is not here" (v. 6) - Huh? What do you mean he is not here? You see Jesus is not dead and therefore is not to be looked for among those who are dead. Jesus is alive and with his people! He is ever present. In fact he is with you right now!

3- " Come and see..." (v.6)- In a world that needs to see things to believe it we are given the challenge to believe in Christ even though we don't physically see him. Mary (mother of James and Joseph) and Mary Magdalene were given the charge to check the tomb to see if it was really empty. To this day, the tomb remains empty and will continue to do so. It is easy to believe in something when you see it in front of your eyes. True faith comes from the trust and belief we have in things that are not seen. It is only with the encounter of dark that we are able to encounter light. 

Can you imagine what it would be like if Jesus Christ was standing right in front of you as this very moment? What would you say? What would you do? Having an encounter with the risen Lord is something we all will endure at some point in our lives. I am often reminded of the song "I can only imagine" by Mercy Me. It is through the lyrics of this song that we are able to grasp a minuscule part of what it may feel like to stand in the presence of our Lord.

In today's society we are surrounded with worldly distractions and temptations that often cause us to forget about the presence of Jesus Christ and his influence in our lives. 


PRAYER


Heavenly father, Help us to prepare my life for our encounter with you. Direct our paths and forgive us of our sins. Help us to live a life that is pleasing to you. Amen

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Are you ready to have an encounter with the risen Lord at this very moment?

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