I’m Coming Out Now!

I’m Coming Out Now!

The angel spoke. . . . “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead.”

Matthew 28:5-6

The call to worship had just been pronounced, starting the Easter service in an East Texas church. The choir started the processional, singing “Christ Arose” while marching in perfect step down the center aisle to the front of the church.

The last woman was wearing shoes with very slender heels. Without a thought for her fancy heels, she stepped onto the grate that covered the hot-air register in the middle of the aisle. Suddenly the heel of one shoe sank into the hole in the register grate. In a flash, she realized her predicament. Not wishing to hold up the whole processional, without missing a step she slipped her foot out of her shoe and continued marching down the aisle.

There was not a hitch. The processional continued to move with clocklike precision. The first man after her spotted the situation and, without losing a step, reached down and pulled up her shoe—but the entire grate came with it! Surprised but still singing, the man kept on going down the aisle, holding in his hand the grate with the shoe attached. Everything still moved smoothly.

Still in tune and still in step, the next man in line stepped into the open register and disappeared from sight. The service took on a special meaning that Sunday, for just as the choir ended with “Hallelujah! Christ arose!” a voice was heard under the church shouting, “I hope all of you are out of the way, ’cause I’m coming out now!”

The little girl closest to the aisle shouted, “Come on, Jesus! We’ll stay out of the way.”

O Father, thank you for giving your Son as a sacrifice for our sins and for raising him up from the grave to be our living Lord. We are so humbly grateful for your great love and grace. Amen.