Merciful Monday: "I am with you always"

If you know anything about the Bible or about Christianity then I’m sure you've heard about Jesus rising from the dead.Can you imagine what it might be like to have lived during that time and see someone ALIVE that was whipped, crucified, stabbed and buried just three days earlier?! Well Matthew 28 tells about the manner in which Jesus rose from the tomb that held him, and describes his final days on earth.  

What interested me most was each individual reaction to Jesus’ resurrection:

•  The guards: “fell into a dead faint” (verse 4)
• Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary”: ran from the tomb “frightened but also filled with great joy,” ran to Jesus and worshipped him, and then delivered the message the angel commanded of them (verse 8).
• The Elders: conspired and bribed soldiers to cover up the news- they said Jesus’ body was stolen
• The disciples: went to the mountain in Galilee. “When they saw him, they worshipped, but some of the doubted!” (verse 17).”

Point to Ponder: what do you think would have been your reaction to seeing Jesus alive if you were living during that time?

Mary Magdalene, Mary, and the disciples acted quickly and out of their faith. Some, doubted, yet they still followed God’s orders and did so while praising the Lord! Because of their praise and their obedience, they were able to receive one last, honest moment with Jesus where he empowered and prepared them for the road ahead. He told them to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” and he reminded them, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age (verse 19, 20).”

I believe that these were words that stuck with them when they faced hard times and questioned their own faith. It is the most comforting thing to know that God is ALWAYS there even when no one else is. If we all could praise God despite our doubt, insecurity, failures, etc. imagine how we can evoke his presence! Even when we are weak and unsure, God is always with us and if we follow his commandments and seek his presence, he will pour out his blessings and empower us to do his will. Jesus is not dead, he is alive in the heart of each and every believer that confesses his name <3

"Matthew 28"-One of my favorite songs! It describes the Resurrection of Jesus in such a powerful way

Merciful Mondays: Jael

^“For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.” Deuteronomy 4:31