standing with hope

By Molly Klima

From the airport- I hope this finds you well. I hope you await Sunday in eager anticipation of the resurrection of a King. The one they attempted to discredit. The one they tried to shame. The one who was mocked and betrayed and beaten to a pulp. The King who gave his life for you and me. The one who gave his life in order to restore your relationship with him. Who suffers a criminal’s death, taking the weight of all the world’s mess and sin in order to demonstrate his love for you? Jesus.

They call it Good Friday, but it’s only good because Sunday is coming. Christmas is the extra fun Christian holiday, but Christmas would have no meaning if the resurrection of Christ didn’t follow.

And so we wait

Today is Saturday and so we wait. And a lot of us are in a season of waiting right now. Waiting for test results. Waiting for an acceptance letter. We are waiting for forgiveness from those we love. Waiting for the chains of addiction to break. Waiting for court dates. Waiting to feel alive again. Waiting for the treatment to work. Waiting for the offer. Waiting for rest. Waiting for peace.

Because Jesus lives we do not wait in vain. Sunday is coming. Hope is alive. New life is here.

Molly Klima

It’s almost too much for me to really pause and think about what this day was like for the disciples, Mary and Mary Magdalene. I have a hard time pausing long enough to think much about it because it seems like it would have been too painful. There’s the massive loss of someone they loved but also the confusion that death seems to have won.

My friends, we do not wait in vain. We already know the end of the story. He lives. He conquered the grave. Not only did Jesus come to show us what his kingdom would be like and how to care for others. Not only did Jesus live his life without blame and heal the sick of spirit and body. Not only did Jesus come to show us the Father and to turn social status upside down, he also came to bridge the broken path between us and God.

Restoration

I don’t know where today finds you. But know you can be found. You are not without hope. You are not denied access between priests and veils to enter God’s presence. It is available to you. It is here for you. The veil is torn. Jesus Christ has paid the price. Do you need peace that surpasses all understanding? He has it. Do you need strength to break through the darkness of depression or addiction? He has it. Do you need healing from a broken home and destructive decisions? He has it. The world promises to have all the answers but we know it’s not true. There is only one who took it all upon himself as a sacrifice and there is only one who rose again. His name is Jesus.

You don’t need to wait to come to him. You don’t need to wash up or drop your bad habit first. You don’t need to know the Bible. You don’t need to have grown up or have ever even set foot in a church. You don’t have to understand it. If you want new life, it’s yours through Christ. He died for you. He rose for you. The gift is his love waits for you. He stands at the door and knocks. And death? Well, you won’t need to fear death. He already beat it and glory awaits.

In the words of one of my favorite hymns… “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know he holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because he lives.”