Many years later, I came to realize it was an illusion based on an intense desire. I wanted her to be alive so I could crawl into her lap, enjoy her hugs and comfort.
Many things are said as someone is drawing their last breath and life is fleeting from them.
“It won’t be long now.”
“I am going to die, so let me go.”
“I wish I could stay around a bit longer.”
“I love you.”
Some make the assertion they will be always watching even when they are beyond the grave. What we don’t hear though is “I am going to die, but don’t worry, before you put that coffin in the ground I will come back to life.”
If we did hear people say it we would believe they were deranged, delusional or just plain lying. No one has the power in themselves to jump out of the box and walk around looking for food to eat or people to hug and encourage once rigor mortise has set in.
However, Jesus Christ did make a similar declaration. He announced emphatically that He would die. He would be buried in a borrowed tomb, but on the third day He would rise again.
Scoffers who heard Jesus make such remarks questioned his sanity. Others pointed their finger at his chest and called him an outright liar and a fool. They were sure he was deranged and headed for the insane asylum.
Jesus called Himself the Son of God. The accurate prophecies predicting His birth, life, death and resurrection proved He was more than just a man. The Bible defines God as the complete essence of truth. Jesus said, “I am the Truth” (John 14:6). There is no falsehood, deception, lying or untruth in Him. Therefore, the statements He makes must every time line up with his character. Otherwise he would be a fraud.
The proof of His nature would be in His resurrection, thus fulling this seemingly preposterous claim. The Bible declares Jesus rose from the grave. Contemporary eye witnesses swore under oath that Jesus rose from the dead. They were too scared for their lives to fabricate a fairy tale when their own lives were in jeopardy. One doesn’t go against the very nature of survival if the event is false and can be proved thus. Ancient manuscripts around the time of Jesus’ resurrection and historians all made the claim, based on known facts, that Jesus did indeed die and three days later rose from the tomb. Based on the evidence, I know Jesus died and rose again.
With confidence, we can receive the words of Christ as truth and believe in their transforming power. Jesus says, “I love you unconditionally.” He tells us He will forgive us and free us from our sins. He promises us a home in heaven where we will be with him forever based on the conditions He has set out.
- Admit our need for Him because we all have blown it. We all have sinned against a Holy God in selfishness and rebellion.
- Believe the payment for our salvation based on Jesus sacrificial, voluntary death on the cross, and His resurrection on the third day paid the divine requirement.
- Confess to God that we have sinned and ask God, through the finished work of Jesus to forgive us as we truly want to follow God with all of our hearts, soul and mind.
I pray this Easter season, you will understand the truth of Christ’s resurrection and come to follow Him who loves you so much.
