Disclaimer: I want to break away from the format of our devotional to acknowledge what some people call “The Holy Week”. My intention in this devotional is focus exclusively on Jesus, the risen Savior and our King.
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In the book of Luke, an angel visits Mary — the teenage woman who will birth Jesus into the world — giving her insight into the role she would play in intersecting the spiritual and physical world. The angel announces himself by saying “…”Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you”” (Luke 1:28).
Matthew also touches on this announcement noting “”The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Almost as a bookend, Jesus parts ways with his beloved followers encouraging them to continue in faith and to continue pressing into God’s will. In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus says, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age””.
Again, we have the confirmation of Jesus’ presence with us: mankind.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb is an exceptional, critic aspect of our faith. Many religions do not believe in Jesus being raised from the dead after three days. Jesus told us, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. But we do. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”” (John 10:18). Without this miraculous act our faith would, in so many ways, be dead and still in the grave. What distinguishes Jesus from every other person who walked with God is that He died and rose with all power and still lives.
As we enter the weekend I wanted to encourage us as women to really sit with the idea of loving and serving a resurrected savior who is and will always be with you. While our lives seem to shift frequently, the steadiness of Jesus’ presence should give us peace. He is with us, always. He promised to never leave us and I pray that you, too, have committed to never leave Him.
Have a blessed weekend! For those who are celebrating, Happy Easter!
Jesus HAS risen!
#tobepraised
