“Do not be afraid.”
-Matthew 28:10
These four words are powerful. “Do not be afraid.” These are the first words that Jesus spoke after He rose again. This is how Jesus greets the women who went to tend to his body in the tomb. He had been in a tomb for 3 days, and the women must have been disheartened, discouraged, and dismayed at the way Jesus’ life and story seemed to end. But as I’ve heard Bob Goff say on Good Friday, “Heaven just started counting to three.” Jesus had already encountered the very worst on our behalf, and he walked out of the tomb, having overcome death itself!
I love that his first words after all of this are, “Do not be afraid.” These words give me courage in this season. God is still with us. These days are long and this virus is awful. People are hurting and lonely and afraid, and there is so much unknown ahead. I’m so grateful that God himself has suffered too, so we could know that none of us are alone in our suffering. We don’t have to let fear control us, because Love already conquered death and darkness, so no matter what, there is light and life ahead. Holding onto the light and life today, friends. No matter what we’re facing, there’s hope for sure.
