By Pastor Mike Mitchum
In the last couple of weeks, I performed one funeral and attended another. I prayed with a friend who was undergoing a bone marrow transplant. We are hoping his cancer will not return. Today, I visited another friend in the hospital who was in a great deal of pain. I spoke with another person who is grieving over the guilt of past sinful behavior. One day I drove around the neighborhood looking for a friend who had relapsed into binge drinking and was wandering the streets.
I find myself longing for a time when there is not so much disappointment and pain. Don’t get me wrong, I get a lot of joy out of life, but in my role as a pastor, I see how painful life can be. I know that none of us can live this life without experiencing our share (or more!) of pain.
While I do go through periods of sadness, I do not lose hope. I do not lose hope because of the resurrection. Jesus rose from the dead! His body was made alive again after he died. It is written in the Bible that he was the first one resurrected, but he would not be the last. All who believe in him will also live again after they die.
After our resurrection, life will be different. There will be no more funerals. Our new bodies will be immune from the ravages of cancer. There will be no more physical pain. There will be no more emotional pain to anesthetize with alcohol. Our guilt and shame will be a distant memory seen through the lens of God’s amazing grace.
If Jesus had not been resurrected, I would not have this hope. The fact that he came alive again after he was dead changes everything. I encourage you to reflect about this hope. What does it mean to you as you face life’s challenges. Hopefully it will give you hope as well.
