This was posted on 30 March 2013.

Emptiness does not usually thrill us. An empty fridge for that late night snack frustrates, getting in the car and finding it running on empty is annoying.  We like life to be full, and we  comment with satisfaction when our days are busy with activity; as a society we are quickly bored if there is seemingly nothing to do to keep us amused or busy. Full is good, especially in my opinion, when it comes to an english breakfast. Jesus himself, commented that he had come to bring life in all its fullness. Empty is bad and boring, fullness is good and satisfying.

The resurrection though gives us a another view –  a full tomb is a bit of a disaster! Empty is liberating and life giving, Jesus is risen, the tomb is empty, death has lost its sting, sin and satan are defeated. God has had the last laugh.

When thinking of the resurrection I think of Psalm 18:19; “He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me”. Jesus is risen, the tomb is empty, life is to be lived in that spacious place, and we to are to leave our “tombs”, to leave them empty, and move into the spacious place that our generous God has won for us in the resurrected Jesus. It does take courage and a fair amount of trust. Our tombs whatever they may be, come with all sorts of names, unforgiveness and bitterness, fear, feeling useless just to mention a few.. We live in these tombs they become our home, they are familiar, and disturbingly comfortable. Scargill is about “lives shared, lives transformed” and hopefully with Jesus right at the centre he will loving lead us out of our caves that we have uncomfortably conformed to live in.

The challenge is to leave our tombs, and move into that spacious place, and breath in that resurrection air.

A blessed Easter to you all.

 

 

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