The glorious appearance of Christ Jesus to Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of John is the consummate show stealer. All else pales in the glimpse of His beautiful face, rinsed of blood and flushed with fresh life.
She’s sobbing. The hole that the loss of Jesus would cause in a life would be unlike any other. Incomparable. A canyon carved out of granite earth. A bottomless pit. A soul’s abyss. His words, “I’ll never leave you nor forsake you” in Hebrews 13:5 relieve us of the most horrific prospect in the human experience: the loss of Jesus. But the woman in this scene got to feel it and, in this terrifying state, nothing of value – no one of value – was recognizable to her.
Deeply moved, He puts His loved one out of her misery.
“Mary,” He says.
“Rabboni!”
And she grabs onto Him for dear life until He has to peel her off His Person to send her forth with the news that changes everything.
But right there in the very first verse is a piece of information that captures my imagination over and over.
“Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.” (John 20:1)
Look at it one more time. How early?
“While it was still dark.”
Really, does it get any earlier than while it is still dark? And He was already up. Already alive. Already raised.
“While it was still dark” was too late to catch Christ in the tomb. She’d overslept the divine alarm.
Doesn’t it touch you that the Father did not wait till dawn? For Scripture to be perfectly and vividly fulfilled, Christ had to be raised on the third day. Isn’t there treasure in the realization that the One and only Father of this One and only Son did not even wait until the sun peeked over the horizon? If it was still dark when Mary found the tomb empty, what unthinkable time must God have raised Him from the dead?
I don’t know. Call me sentimental but I wonder if the Father, patient and long-suffering through the ages, that one particular hour could not bring Himself to wait another minute. After all, He’d been up all night – Blessed and Wide-Eyed Insomniac – while those who could sleep slept. And He’d waited. And waited. And waited. We earthlings have few greater challenges than waiting. Wouldn’t you say? And, as people of faith, our longest waiting can be, in particular, waiting upon the Lord. As one of my mentors used to say, “God is never late but He misses a few good opportunities to be early.”
Except, notably, on this particular Sunday morning.
Well, I wonder if perhaps that late Saturday night, God Himself grew anxious waiting upon the Lord. And maybe He watched the clock just long enough for the hour to qualify as morning. And way before dawn, when it was pitch black outside, when the earth seemed without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep, God spoke. Maybe something close to this…
“Arise, my Son. My one and only Son, Whom I Love. In whom I am well pleased. up with You! Rise!”
“While it was still dark outside.”
And God said “Let there be Light.”
And there was.
“The light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God…for God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:4b,6)
This morning when I got up to publish this post for you, it was like pitch outside and so very still and the full moon shown like it was proud of itself. And it made me think. Only the moon was up that morning when God brought up the Son.
“They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 22:5)
Happy, happy Resurrection Sunday, my beloved Sisters! There is no day on our calendar like this day. It was without competition, the Father’s best day. As 365 days fly by on the annual calendar, this one is His favorite. Dance it away from dawn till dusk. Worship Him, study Him, seek Him, feast before Him, laugh before Him, hug the people you love before Him, kiss and cuddle those babies before Him, eat dessert before Him, hide eggs before Him, LIVE this whole day before Him. In Him, Through Him. With Him. Dance in the crowd of angels toasting. All emptiness is swallowed whole. He is our fullness. Celebrate this Day! He won it for you. Live it with all the life you have! Give those who know you but do not know Christ a glimpse of abundance alive and spinning in human flesh. Have a festival of praise. Death has lost its sting!
Pat that yawn away. Wash the sleep from your eyes. For no matter how early you got out of bed this morning, one thing is certain.
He was already up.
Amen! He is all that matters in this world! Thank you, Jesus!
This touched my heart–loved it! Thank you!
Thanks Beth,have courage and keep on keeping on…we are all the better by your love of Him.
Beautiful Easter weekend, so thankful God went to the cross for us and one day I (& other Believers) will be with Him.
I also was very Blessed to share my 53rd Birthday on 8th on Easter & to use my walk as testimony for Him to others.
May God continue to Bless your ministry 🙂
Between yours and Melissa’s Easter posts – there is a lot to think about and so much to be thankful for!!!! Thanks for your insight. And wouldn’t it be grand to be able to dance and celebrate in church in an appropriate way…… Sometimes I just feel like bustin’ loose. Since I can’t in church – I go to Zumba. (My instructor loves Jesus and has a Christian song or two in the mix…)
I love this comment so much! “Since I can’t in church– I go to Zumba.” That is awesome.
My heart is so full reading this post… so beautiful, thank you for all you do for us, the things we see and the sacrafices we may never know. We love you so much!
Thank you, Beth. I am way late reading it but even on this Tuesday afternoon I am so blessed that He’s Already Up!!!
Beth,
Our prayer team had a conversation before the prayer time before our Easter service Sunday morning about how and why it is that God seems to wait, (at least in our view), to answer prayer or accomplish what we know to be His will. And then I cam home to this post. Thank you!!
By the way, April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. My church is partnering with other organizations in the KS City Metro to bring awareness to this issue. Friday, April 13th is Wearing Blue to promote Child Abuse Awareness. You might consider ‘wearing blue’ at on stage at Living Proof Live, in Kansas City or Friday evening. Just a thought. Check out http://www.preventchildabusekc.org
I will be attending this week-end and can’t wait!! I have just ended an unhealthy and emotionally abusive marriage this week. As always, God will have something very special for me, through whatever you chose to teach. I frequently tell others that if God had not had me in the Word with Beth Moore, for most of the last 14 years, I would not be ‘clothed and in my right mind’!! Love and Blessings, always, Avayd Ann Lacy
This is beautiful. Thank you.
Oh Beth!! Loved this post! Christ’s resurrection has always been my favorite passage in the Bible and Easter my favorite holiday. Thanks for sharing and reminding us (me) He is always with us (me).
Love ya bunches:))
Dawn
Mt. Olive, NC
Beth, your depiction of that early still dark morning gave my heart such giddiness – this Easter season was made especially wonderful with the birth of our first grandson – and I am still reeling in the effects of Good Friday’s Communion service with all three grands and my dear man gathered around me, ah, God – you are so good, so much better than you have to be. The LORD has purposed in my soul such meaning to this resurrection season and as our pastor reminds us, EVERYDAY is resurrection Sunday. Thank you Beth for your way with words. You have blessed us tremendously.
Beautiful!
Beth, I have read this post over and over again. Have also told several friends about it so they can also rejoice in what you have shared. You are truly annointed and I thank God for how He has used you in so many lives. Keep doing what you are doing, girl. You are a blessing!
Great message indeed. i really wish it wont be restricted to sisters alone cos guys also needs such.Go in this thy might
Dear Beth and LPM staff, I dunno if you guys look back on these posts but I am praying you do.
Right now our son is fighting for his life in ICU in our closest hospital, my sister (who once did unheard of things to me with my parents’ inheritance) forgiveness has brought us closer again. She faces a radical mastectomy next week. I am reminded of good ole Habakkuk that little obscure prophet you can almost forget his book is even in the Bible but chapter three 17 and 18 in a nut shell say that no matter what befalls in the time of trouble still he will praise the Lord. I have told the devil that he may mean all these things to stagger our faith but he may as well give up cuz we are committed to Him so he may as well leave!!!!I have felt the power of you guys at prayer before and ask for it again. If you do indeed get this I may post to your prayer request area too. Gotta run Love you all! Betty M
Betty, we do see all of these are most certainly praying. Will you please keep us updated? May God stretch down His mighty hand and heal him in the name of Jesus.
Amen Beth! It was a lovely Resurrection morning in VA as well! I wanted to let you know a Sunday School class member said that we must like the sound of Bible pages turn because they “sound like kisses”! We love it cause folks are in The Word…but that was a sweet thought!
Praise our Lord!
Robin
This blog really blessed me. I keep thinking about His love and that He’s already up!
AMEN! ! !
Dearest Beth and crew,
I just attended Living Proof Live this weekend in Kansas City!! I absolutely loved it. I’ve done several of your studies in the last few years since I truly started my walk with Jesus. But, this is the first time I’ve seen you live!! I was so amazed….what a blessing!! I took a crew of 5 women with me…we had so much fun and learned so much.
The last few years, God has used your studies to help heal my heart. He had to get through to me that I was His beloved so I could get ready for the fight of my marriage, which He is working on now. We have been going to Christian counseling that comes straight out of the bible since November and He is working in our lives and healing our marriage. His timing of these studies at our church blow me away….each one was getting me personally ready to fight for our marriage. Praise Him for all He’s done, doing, and will do!!!
And, now I feel He’s urging me to lead or teach…and on our way to your conference, the gals I went with said we should do one of your studies and that I could lead it…then last night you said…if God has called you to teach…then find a class!! I’d say that’s confirmation. The enemy tells me I haven’t been on my walk long enough and I don’t know enough about the bible, but I am going to trust my God and do it anyway!! I’m praying about which one of your studies to do for these gals. I’d say we are all theys…I would be the we of the group..(but not all that mature). A couple of the gals are fairly new in their walk…if you have any suggestions.
I also have another huge question. I have a friend who had cancer and is battling leukemia for 10 years now. He just got done with a big round of chemo which they think didn’t help all that much and may not have another option. He believes in God, but isn’t convinced that Jesus is the Son of God. I am just wondering if you have any suggestions of any Scripture that I could give him, or what I could say or do to help him. I have told him Jesus is the way to eternal life. I have been praying that he would come to believe for the last several months. I just don’t know what else I can do. I have people at church praying for him, women from India praying for him (from mission trip last fall), and I know he’s got several others praying for him, too. I would appreciate any help you can give.
Thanks so much for all you do.
God Bless you and yours,
RaeAnn Middleton.
Interesting that scripture Beth, got me thinking… I wonder what time He got up!
I enjoyed both your and Melissa’s Easter posts. One of my favorite people graduated to Heaven the Saturday before Easter this year. The Easter lilies and palm branches were still in the church windows at her funeral
Beautiful post — as usual! When you mentioned what God might have said to Jesus after the long wait, when it was time for the resurrection, my thoughts went to the song “Arise, My Love”. There’s no other voice that equals the power and yet the tenderness of God’s voice. Thanks for sharing. Love you!
This post reminds me so much of Andrew Peterson’s “Rise and Shine.” Listen to the words of this song — the last stanza is the culmination of resurrection glory! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsNfpiuDng8
What a beautiful rendering of Resurrection Day. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!
Beth, at Ballardsville Bapt Church in Crestwood Ky we are completing the study of David. I have only 1 participant & he is a guy. but he is loving it & is so hungry for the Word. thank you so much for your diligence & for your staff. my group & I will be seeing you all in Knoxville in August. God bless
I can’t tell you how these words ministered to me tonight. I’ve long followed the blog, and even longer followed you as a teacher of the Word. You and your precious family have become dear to me, just as this group of women known as ‘siestas’ have. So I know this plea will not fall on deaf ears.
On Easter – “His favorite” day, He called my sister home. It was sudden – a mangled mess of glass and metal in a head-on collision that sent five other members of our family to the hospital. My sister died on scene. The story is long and brutal, but with an incredible amount of beauty intertwined as only our God can do. Satan would choose to destroy some of my spiritually fragile family, but my God won’t have it! Her grandaughter, age 5, grandson, age 12, and son-in-law are all out of the hospital and recovering. Her daughter, 33, is in a rehab facility getting stronger every day, but still struggling in her walking, learning to use her left hand while her right hand and arm heal, and with short term memory loss. My precious brother-in-law, who has loved my sister so VERY well, has yet to regain consciousness. Please pray for my family. Her other two children – a daughter, 35, and a son, 28, are having to make decisions and deal with a legal quagmire that is unclear, unyielding and seemingly unrelenting. Even with an attorney it remains difficult.
But I just have to say – even in all of this, I see His hand so clearly in so many ways. Just one example – dealing with so many medical issues (we literally had four people admitted to three different hospitals until the 5th day after the accident when we cut it back to two hospitals!) has probably kept us all going. I don’t know that any of us could have bore up under the devastating loss of my beautiful sister. God has allowed us to deal with it slowly – a little every day – as we tend to the others. Please pray for all of us, including my two other sisters, my dad, my brother-in-law’s parents and brothers. Thank in advance for standing in the gap. We are desperate for Him.
Hello,
It’s quite obivious from your post that you are passionately in love with Jesus. I wish that I had that kind of love for Him. I’ve been struggling with anger and coldness towards God for some time now. This has led me to quesyion my salvation. How do I develop a love for Jesus?
Beth!
Last fall I did my testimony and it was 12 pages. I then re-edited it and got it down to 5 1/2 pgs – and now just a paragraph?!!!
Girl thank you for a few days to chew on this!!!
If you see me, ya will know Who had victory!
Love to you and thanks for the Challenge!
WOW!!!!!! Reading this on April 25, and…… WOW!!!!