“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. … The men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.’ And they remembered His words …”
(Luke 24:1-4, 5b-8 ESV)
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here.” The women knew that. They had already seen that the tomb was empty.
So where was Jesus? The angels didn’t tell them that. They would have to find out for themselves.
And where should they look? Not among the dead. Among the living, then. And they took off running.
The rest of the day was like a game of hide and seek, as various people saw Jesus, or didn’t. You could follow Jesus’ trail by the living joy He left behind Him. They were no longer stuck in the quicksand of disbelief and sadness. Jesus had been with them!
So where will we find Jesus today, then? Not among the dead, that’s for sure. As we wait for His Second Coming, we will find Him among the living—among those who trust His words, even when they sound impossible—”I forgive you,” “You are Mine,” You are children of God.” The risen Jesus has raised us from the dead, too, and we are His forever.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, be with me forever, and make me alive in You. Amen.
Lenten Devotions by Kari Vo
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on April 17, 2023
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved
Reflection Questions:
* Is there a difference between believers and nonbelievers, in your experience?
* If so, what is it?
* What difference does Jesus’ resurrection make to your daily life?
(To view the entire “Lenten Devotions” mini-series, please click here.)