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Glory Seed Devotionals, 2016: Year of the Blessing
Station 13, 14 – Jesus is taken down and laid in the tomb…
Holy Spirit, take us where we ourselves are unable to go… “And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.” (Matthew 27:59-61, ESV)
I’ve never really given much thought to Jesus’ body taken and laid in the tomb. For me it has been just another part of his death and burial. However, this morning as I try to experience the emotions of those who witnessed his death and then carried him to the tomb it is a journey full not of defeats but of victories. I have long saw Jesus’ tomb not only as a place for his body but also a place to bury the “junk” such as my fears, hopelessness, sins, prejudices, my doubts just to mention a few. Then on Resurrection Sunday as Jesus steps from the tomb the “junk” stays.
This morning as I’ve tried to put myself in the story I can picture myself with the entourage of followers and soldiers who make the solemn trip to the tomb with Jesus’ body. I can see us laying him in the tomb. I can see those of us who believed in him laying down our “junk”. I can see the huge stone sealing off Jesus and our “junk”. Then as the sun comes up on Resurrection Sunday I can see Jesus walking out of the tomb alone, and buried somewhere in a bottomless pit are the remains of our “junk”. And here’s the “icing on the cake” the ex-Jesus tomb remains open so we can make regular trips and dump our “junk”.
Please forgive me for using my imagination to express how I believe Jesus makes it possible for us to become dead to our “junk” and alive to a new life in Christ. I believe there are times when we exercise our imaginations the Holy Spirit accompanies us thus helping us understand what might otherwise be impossible.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might!
Grace and PEACE, Amen!
Gary
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Note: Should you want to go back and review this Glory Seed or if you would like to subscribe so you can receive them in your email you can do so by clicking on this link: http://gloryseeds.wordpress.com/.
If you would like inspirational music playing as you read this Glory Seed may I suggest clicking on this link: http://www.abidingradio.org/listen/
Scripture quotations marked ESV "Are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Glory Seed Devotionals, 2016: Year of the Blessing
Station 13, 14 – Jesus is taken down and laid in the tomb…
Holy Spirit, take us where we ourselves are unable to go… “And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.” (Matthew 27:59-61, ESV)
I’ve never really given much thought to Jesus’ body taken and laid in the tomb. For me it has been just another part of his death and burial. However, this morning as I try to experience the emotions of those who witnessed his death and then carried him to the tomb it is a journey full not of defeats but of victories. I have long saw Jesus’ tomb not only as a place for his body but also a place to bury the “junk” such as my fears, hopelessness, sins, prejudices, my doubts just to mention a few. Then on Resurrection Sunday as Jesus steps from the tomb the “junk” stays.
This morning as I’ve tried to put myself in the story I can picture myself with the entourage of followers and soldiers who make the solemn trip to the tomb with Jesus’ body. I can see us laying him in the tomb. I can see those of us who believed in him laying down our “junk”. I can see the huge stone sealing off Jesus and our “junk”. Then as the sun comes up on Resurrection Sunday I can see Jesus walking out of the tomb alone, and buried somewhere in a bottomless pit are the remains of our “junk”. And here’s the “icing on the cake” the ex-Jesus tomb remains open so we can make regular trips and dump our “junk”.
Please forgive me for using my imagination to express how I believe Jesus makes it possible for us to become dead to our “junk” and alive to a new life in Christ. I believe there are times when we exercise our imaginations the Holy Spirit accompanies us thus helping us understand what might otherwise be impossible.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might!
Grace and PEACE, Amen!
Gary
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Note: Should you want to go back and review this Glory Seed or if you would like to subscribe so you can receive them in your email you can do so by clicking on this link: http://gloryseeds.wordpress.com/.
If you would like inspirational music playing as you read this Glory Seed may I suggest clicking on this link: http://www.abidingradio.org/listen/
Scripture quotations marked ESV "Are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
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