Resurrection Joy

"You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For Your dew [O Lord] is a dew of sparkling light [heavenly, supernatural dew]; and the earth shall cast forth the dead to life again [for on the land of the shades of the dead You will let Your dew fall]."
                                                                  Isaiah 26:19




Easter is a beautiful time of renewal and new life. It is celebrated during a season of new growth in the earth, where trees and foliage begin to awaken after the dormancy of a long winter. It is a new season of hope and joy and when you add to that the supernatural power of Jesus' resurrection, it is a time that should fill our hearts to overflowing. This, to the follower of Christ, is the very essence of our faith and God intentionally and divinely gives us this gift after the winter season.

This year, both Easter and Passover occur simultaneously. Passover is what happened to the Israelites when the angel of death passed over their homes because of the blood that was over the doorposts. The angel passes over that which has died and averts the judgment of God. This is a reminder to each of us that we are dependent on God for deliverance and that we are in constant need for renewal in our lives.

Jesus celebrated the Passover, but He also added to it the importance of His impending death and resurrection. The Cross, for believers, is what Passover was to the Israelites. Without Jesus' death and resurrection we would never have been saved or given the gift of eternal life with God. It is always is love and grace that provides a joyful way forward for those who are in Christ.

John Piper says, "The best news of the Christian gospel is that the supremely glorious Creator of the universe has acted in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection to remove every obstacle between us and Himself so that we may find everlasting joy in seeing and savoring His infinite beauty."

When Isaiah penned the prophetic words above to the nation of Israel, he was speaking to a people who were buried in the dust of their former glory. They had been hand-picked as God's chosen people but 70 years had lapsed since they really knew God or had heard Him or experienced the joy that only comes from Him. He spoke to their spiritual condition and admonished that this drought was about to end.

Restoration was in sight for these beleaguered children of God. Isaiah had already announced God's great victory over death (25:7-8), and now he was reassuring them that God would supernaturally give them life-giving dew to resurrect them from the dust. He assured them of the new life that would spring forth as a result of God's faithfulness.

God was indeed answering the prayers of the remnant that continued to seek after Himself. He offered them comfort and assurances of His promises and protection. Divine providence would provide the life-giving nutrients they needed to once again become the dynamic force in the earth that God had created them to be. He would resurrect what was dead and had been buried.

When God resurrected Jesus, He was assuring us that one day we, too, would be resurrected. It was a promise He gave that should daily bring us joy. The apostle, Paul, echoed this when he said, "Every time you plant seed, you sow something that does not come to life [germinating, springing up, growing] unless it dies first... So it is with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable and decays, but the body that is resurrected is imperishable [and immortal]" (1 Corinthians 15:36,42).

The point he was making is that the seeds that are initially sown when we plant grains are not the exact harvest that occurs later. The harvest is more beautiful than what was planted and it achieves the purpose and fruitfulness for which it was intended. The seed must break down and die, however, before this occurs.

This is why God requires that "You must be born again" (John 3:7).  Being born in the natural is not the same as being born again spiritually. God rejects the flesh but accepts the new life He gives to us spiritually. We have to die to our old ways of doing things and come alive to the things that God has ordained for us. In this, we conform to the image of Christ until, one day, when we are resurrected, we will bear the image of our Savior when we share in His glory.

Jesus is the only way to salvation and eternal life. While we live in a culture that insists there are many paths to heaven, that is not what the Bible tells us. Jesus chose to leave His throne in heaven, endured much pain and suffering, and then forgave those that inflicted such horrific abuse. It is this kind of unexplainable, crazy love that God has for each of us, as well as the provision we need to spend eternity with Him.

God sent Jesus to us to die for a sinful people so that we sinful people could come back to life. It was love that was the catalyst and it will be love that completes the redemption process. Only God could take something this gruesome and turn it into something as beautiful as our salvation and eternal life in Him.

He does the same thing for us in our day to day lives. He takes that which is dormant or dead and He breathes new life upon it and uses it for His glory. When we are "crucified with Christ and no longer live [then] it is Christ who lives in us. The life we live now in the body, we live by faith in the Son of God, who loves us and gave Himself for us" (Galatians 2:20). Jesus died to give us this kind of resurrection life.

Because we are "more than conquerors" (Romans 8:37), we can confidently walk in the newness of this resurrection life, knowing that we are: unconditionally loved, completely forgiven, fully redeemed, a new creation, and totally transformed from the inside out. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and gives us the gift of His indwelling power. Therefore, dead things must come alive in the name of Jesus.

This week, as you reflect on the beauty of what Jesus has done for you and made available to you, focus on any areas that need resurrection life and power. Let faith arise to believe that God will breathe on these places in our life and make them alive and powerful. Seek God in your prayers and petitions and remember that He is always faithful to complete what He has started.  This will bring the resurrection life and joy that Jesus provided for us long ago.


                                      HAVE A BLESSED RESURRECTION DAY!!!!!!