Resurrection

Resurrection

Now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” So he is the God of the living, not the dead.

THE EMAIL DROPPED unexpectedly into my inbox. Opening it, I began to read a letter detailing how a friend had betrayed my trust. As I scrolled the message, I felt like I was underwater, struggling to resurface, cold chills running through my body as though I were in shock.

Feverishly recalling our interactions, I thought about details I’d missed, actions I’d overlooked, and warning signs I hadn’t heeded. The words on the page were the first sign of trouble, but when I asked my friend and the truth was confirmed, it felt like a death knell for the friendship. I wondered how I could possibly forgive and move on.

Listening to a podcast a few weeks later, I was struck by the speaker’s words in the context of my flailing friendship. She said that when it feels like we are walking through some kind of death in our life, we need to remember that death isn’t the end of the story: there is resurrection at the end. God himself reminded us that he can bring life again, even to that which seems lost (see Isaiah 43:19). Not only is he about to do something new; he has already begun.

Even when we walk through what feels like dry wastelands, God can forge rivers of mercy and hope that reach even the most parched land. He is the God of the living, not the dead. Though we may experience the death of a friendship, a relationship, a career, or a dream, those experiences can remind us that there’s always the hope of more. Though circumstances may not look the way we expected or once hoped they would, his resurrection power is available to us in healing old wounds and in fostering hope and wholeness moving forward.

Lord, thank you that your resurrection power can bring life and healing, even when life is uncertain or circumstances feel immovable. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: Are you struggling with the death of something in your life? How might trusting in God’s resurrection power help you move forward?