By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

Why Are You Crying?

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?  Who is it you are looking for?”
John 20:15a New International Version

Jesus asked Mary at the tomb, “Why are you crying?”  What a great question!

There are so many reasons to cry.  You might cry because of physical pain or hurt feelings or loss of a loved one.  More specifically, you might cry because your back hurts or someone hurt you with unkind words or because your spouse died.  These are all reasons to cry.

Mary was crying because she had lost her Teacher and Lord.  And because when He died, she lost all hope in salvation in Him.  She had hoped Jesus would be the Messiah and would never leave her.  She had hoped that in Him there was forgiveness and eternal life.  But now He was dead and she could not even find His body!

Why are you crying?  Is it because you have physical pain or hurt feelings or have lost someone you love?  Those are all good reasons to cry!

But you never have to cry like Mary did on that Easter morning.  A terrible wailing of lost hope and lost salvation and a lost eternity.  For Jesus had died.  He died purposefully to bring you salvation.  And now He is alive to never die again!  And that is also part of God’s plan, that Jesus’ resurrection would bring you eternal life.

We have been through a long winter in Oregon of cold and rain and snow.  But now there is spring and sun and life!  How much more do we rejoice knowing that no matter how sad this life may be, no matter how long the waiting or how deep the grief, in Christ Jesus there is always hope and confidence and faith in His resurrection!  Praise God!  He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado