Tag Archives: Resurrection Sunday

While it was still dark…

While it was still dark… Mornings. You either love them or hate them. I am a lover of mornings and I will now gladly list some of the awesome things I enjoy about being up early in the morning. (For clarification, getting up sometime before noon is not early morning, ahem. Just sayin’.) I’m talking EARLY, anywhere from 4 to 6 a.m.

  • Coffee. No need to add anything here. Enough said.
  • The quiet. There is no one to bother you, no as-soon-as-I-rise-my-mouth-goes-96-miles-per-hour-with-incessant-questions in your ear. Just you and the quiet. And Jesus.
  • Sunrise. This has to be one of the most amazing pictures God paints for us every single morning. Naturally, sunSET is just as spectacular but with the sunrise it seems it is just you and God, enjoying it together.
  • Morning prayer. Early morning prayer. I am not one that thinks you can only pray early in the morning. Sometimes I might as well have waited until the afternoon because my eyelids won’t stay open and I am so sleepy it is anybody’s guess what I actually said to the Savior. Thankfully, He understands. But when I push through, there is nothing like starting your day with the Lord of the universe! It makes all the difference in the world. Before social media, before email, before television, the newspaper or even others if it is possible, give me Jesus.
  • Walking. This used to be my absolute favorite activity before the sun would rise. I would slip on those walking shoes and be out that door while the family was still relishing the last few minutes before the alarm would go off. Meeting my SIL at the end of the driveway, we would start our 3 mile trek, waking up the body as we went.  I miss it terribly.

I can seriously go on and on about the benefits of being up in the early morning hours but you get the picture. I am afraid if I don’t get up early I will miss something!

Mary Magdelene thought that too. Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. John  20:1 NKJV.

The Bible says she got there while it was still dark. Mary was an early morning person too and today was no exception. She was rewarded with being one of the very first to witness the empty tomb! She ran to tell Peter and the others and the Lord even appeared to her to confirm His resurrection.

Can you imagine being in Mary’s shoes? Seeing the empty tomb, the angel and knowing that your wildest dreams had actually come true? The Savior, the Messiah, did exactly what He said He would do and you were among the first to witness it?

As exciting as that was, it didn’t end there. Jesus still makes Himself available to US every single day, every single moment. He died on that cross for each of us and He rose again that third day so that we could also overcome death, hell and the grave.

The book of Lamentations tells us that the Lord’s mercies are new EVERY MORNING. We have another chance, all things are new! That blesses me every time to think I have a clean slate and when that sun begins to rise I can make it great (as my brother always says) or I can waste it.

Let us resolve, in these last days, to be like Mary Magdalene, not necessarily that we have to be up before dawn but that we be expectant, eager, anticipating what God has for us and for those around us. If we have spent time at His feet we will be able to hear His voice, as Mary did, and have a purpose to GO and tell others that He is alive!

Have a wonderful Resurrection Sunday with your family and friends. May you worship our Risen Savior with reckless abandon and humble adoration. He is coming again; don’t miss it!

For the kingdom

Hosanna! Save now!

So many images, memories, and scripture come to mind.

A lifetime of Good Friday’s, and Resurrection mornings!

I have even been to a few Sunrise Services over the years. Even though I might have grumbled and complained a little at the time, they were wonderful experiences. Getting up before dawn just to be at church, or an outside gathering, to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord is special. Very special.

I do love and revere the week of Easter. Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and everything in between,  should be a time to give thanks.

Strong’s Concordance gives the original meaning of “Hosanna” as “Save now, or Save, please”, specifically in the Old Testament where it is referenced in the Psalms. Save now, I beseech you, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech you, send now prosperity.” Psalm 118:25.

And Clarke’s commentary has this to say,

“Save now, I beseech thee – These words were sung by the Jews on the feast of tabernacles, when carrying green branches in their hands; and from the הושיעה נא hoshiah nna, we have the word hosanna.”

So when Jesus entered Jerusalem, humbly riding on a donkey, or colt, it would have been appropriate for the Jewish people to cry out,

Hosanna! Save Now!

Some assumed He had come to reign as King on this earth, to save them from their life of “serving” the Romans. They wanted a deliverer!
Jesus did not come to be an earthly king, He came to reign in the hearts of men and women. 

But to others, the  term had changed over the years to mean something a little different. Psalm 118:26, the very next verse, is followed with; “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” This cry for help, “Save now!” was immediately answered with shouts of praise that the Deliverer was coming! Salvation was on its way! Whether they recognized it or not, the answer to their prayers was entering the city.

They would not only be delivered, they would truly be SAVED!

  • Saved from their sins and made new creatures! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
  • Saved to rise again on that great, and coming, Day of the Lord! “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52.
  • Saved to live a life full of the Spirit of God, sharing the Good News! “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8.
  • Saved to make a difference in the life of others! “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45.
  • And saved…to someday spend forever with the Lord. “He that overcometh , the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his nameout of the book of life…” Revelation 3:5.

He gave them more than they imagined, more than they asked for. He gave His very life so that they (and we!) would not have to.

He came as Hosanna…in the Highest…and then forever changed the world.

Join me all this week as we reflect and celebrate the Resurrection and feel free to share your Holy Week remembrances with us!

Kingdom2