Healing Rays of Righteousness

Today is the Wednesday after Easter Sunday.  And as in previous years, it seemed to come and go so quickly.  I reflect and wonder had I adequately prepared myself to enter into Christ’s wondrous and glorious resurrection event in order to better understand its impact on my life.

In reading all four Gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, it appears that none of the disciples were fully on board and prepared to understand and joyously celebrate their Lord’s bodily resurrection.  Instead, all were overtaken by surprise and doubt.

The women bring spices to anoint his body.  They wonder who will roll the stone away for them.  They seek the living among the dead, and then are perplexed to find the stone rolled away and the body gone.  They don’t know what to make of the empty tomb and neatly folded grave clothes.  They are asked, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” and “Trembling and bewildered, they fled from the tomb,” to go and tell the Eleven and all the other disciples. They were not prepared for Easter.

John tells us that even after seeing the empty tomb, the disciples “still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”  He also tells us that Mary Magdalene weeps with grief while the resurrected Lord stands close at hand.  They were not prepared for Easter.

According to all four Gospels, Easter is precisely for those who are not ready for it.  Easter is for Peter, too paralyzed by guilt and fear to take it all in.  Easter is for Philip, who because of doubt finds it hard to believe without concrete evidence.  Easter is for John, who believes in Jesus’ resurrection but needs time to process what difference it makes.  Easter is for Mary, blinded by tearful grief, mourning her loss, while her Lord stands behind her.

According to the story, Easter is for each one of us.  Our retail culture doesn’t give us much time to joyously ponder Easter.  Like an impatient waiter whisking our plate away before we’re finished eating, our culture tries to banish Easter from our awareness.

But we have the fifty days of the Easter season until Pentecost stretching out ahead of us; a time for spiritual lingering by the empty tomb.  Days to weep.  Days to pray.  Days to ponder.  Days to rejoice and bear witness to the Lord, who stands behind us, healing our past; and before us, beckoning us to follow him into His promised future.

“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”  (Isaiah 41:13).

Tommy Dorsey, jazzman and gospel songwriter was singing at a revival meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, when he received the tragic news.  He was handed a telegram that read, “Your wife is dead.”

He had left her at home in the last month of her pregnancy.  The last look into her face was of his Nettie sound asleep.  All seemed well.  Now, she was dead.  She had given birth to a son, but within a day he also died.  Both were buried in the same casket.  Tommy fell apart in his soul, his inner peace was shattered, his faith weakened and struggling for answers.

A few weeks later, as he meandered close to a piano, he sat down and started to fiddle with the keys.  A melody began to flow from his fingers.  Lyrics formed in his mind, and out of the deep sorrow of loss, came these words of faith that we still sing today:

“Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand. I am tired, I am weak, I am worn. Through the storm, through the night  Lead me on to the light. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.”

When my way grows drear, Precious Lord, linger near   When my life is almost gone.  Hear my cry, hear my call, Hold my hand lest I fall. Take my hand, precious Lord; lead me home.

That is the bedrock of our Christian faith.  Because Jesus has “destroyed death” and made it powerless (2 Timothy 1:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:26), we are able to face uncertain tomorrows with this song in our hearts and on our lips, “Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.”

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 24, 2019