Thought for the day
Jeremy was not a normal child. He had a terminal illness which affected both his body and his mind. Still, his parents had tried to give him as normal a life as possible and had sent him to a religious elementary school. At the age of 12, Jeremy was only in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. He was a frustration to his teacher and to all the children in the class.
Springtime came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. Their teacher told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg with this assignment: "I want you to take this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life. Do you understand?"
All the children responded enthusiastically, "Yes, Miss Miller!"
All of them, that is, except for Jeremy. He just listened carefully, his eyes never leaving the teacher's face. Had he understood what she had said about Jesus' death and resurrection?
Did he understand the assignment? The teacher thought perhaps she should call his parents and explain the project to them, but she got busy and forgot.
The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and talking as they placed their eggs in a large wicker basket on Miss Miller's desk. After they completed their math lesson, it was time to open the eggs. In the first egg, Miss Miller found a flower. She said, "Oh yes, a flower is certainly a sign of new life. When plants peek through the ground, we know that spring is here." A small girl in the first row waved her arms. "That's my egg, Miss Miller," she called out.
The next egg contained a plastic butterfly, which looked real. The teacher held it up. She said, "We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yes, that is new life, too." Little Judy smiled proudly and said, "Miss Miller, that one is mine!"
Next, the teacher found a rock with moss on it. She explained that moss, too, showed life. Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom. "My daddy helped me!"
Then the teacher opened the fourth egg. But the egg was empty! Surely it must be Jeremy's, she thought, and, obviously, he didn't understand her instructions. If only she hadn't forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another.
Suddenly Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller, aren't you going to talk about my egg?" A bit flustered, the teacher said, "But Jeremy -- your egg is empty!" He looked into her eyes and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty, too!"
Truly, the greatest symbol of new life is found in an empty tomb!
"But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead." (Matt. 28:5-7)"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Rom. 8:11)
May you come to know the true life which is found in Him who was responsible for that empty tomb.
Verse
Mark 5:34
He said to her, "Daughter, it is your faith that has cured you. Go in peace and be free of this illness."
1 Peter 2:24
Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right. And we are healed because of his wounds.
Matthew 18:19
"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Never quit praying.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Everyone should make up his mind how much he will give, and give it freely and without regret; it is the cheerful giver whom God loves.
Prayer
Father, Your Word indicates the way we interact with those outside the faith will have a positive or a negative influence on whether they choose to follow You. There appears to be no neutral mode in our lives, for we do not live unto ourselves, but regularly give account for our actions and attitudes daily. Inconsistency and double standards are ancient, effective traps Satan has set for believers. For those ensnared by this trap the unbelieving world points their accusatory finger crying, “Hypocrite!” Sadly, it is often a true characterization. May we, as Your disciples, be faithful in our walk and consistent in our talk as we serve You at home, in the workplace, in our churches, and in our sphere of influence. We do not want to disgrace the holy name of Jesus, but we want to honor His name as we glorify You in all we do. It is in Jesus’ holy name that we pray. Amen.
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