From His Heart - Week of April 5

Why the Tears?

"Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?'"  John 20:15

When Mary Magdalene came to the tomb on Easter Sunday morning, she met the resurrected Christ in the garden.  She did not know it was Jesus because her eyes were filled with tears, and she was preoccupied with her deep hurt and utter despair. 
 
Her hopes and dreams had crashed and burned as she saw Jesus beaten and crucified.  Her Lord and Savior was now dead.  How could that be?  Wasn’t He the Messiah?  And to add insult to injury, someone had even taken His body from the tomb.  It couldn’t get any more heartbreaking for Mary.      
 
And in her profound state of grief, Jesus asks her this simple but probing question, “Why are you weeping?”      
 
You see, Resurrection Sunday was not a day for tears, but a day for cheers.  The Lord was not dead!  He was alive … and is alive forevermore!  When He came out of that tomb, He defeated death, hell, and the grave.  His resurrection proved that there is no problem too big for Him.  He is more than able to handle our sins, our sorrows, and our setbacks.
 
HIS QUESTION TO YOU
 
Perhaps you are heavy-hearted today.  Perhaps life has kicked you in the teeth, and your hopes have been crushed by unwanted and unwarranted circumstances.  Perhaps your eyes are filled with tears, and your heart is filled with fears.  You don’t know what to do or how to go on.   
 
Jesus sweetly asks you, “Why are you weeping?  Why are you acting as if I am dead and gone?  Why are you standing there without hope when I am the God of hope?  Why are you not able to see that I am able?        
 
The reason we weep is because we don’t see Him in the midst of our pain and grief.  We are so focused on the perceived enormity of our problems that we fail to see He is far greater than anything our minds can imagine. 
 
So dry your eyes and begin to praise Him!  Let the resurrected Christ arise in you, and your enemies be scattered (Psalms 68:1).  There is no need to live in hopelessness, despair, and sorrow.  Jesus can turn every Calvary into an Easter, every mountain of a problem into a miracle of provision.   
 
Your Lord is alive and well.  Live out that truth!  He is not dead, He is risen … and there is nothing in your life that He cannot accomplish as you look to Him and trust Him!

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Jeff Schreve is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Texarkana, Texas. He and his wife Debbie have been married for over 20 years and are blessed with three wonderful girls. Jeff began From His Heart Ministries, a radio and television ministry, in January of 2005. This ministry is completely listener/viewer supported. It continues only through the faithful and generous gifts of people like you. Pastor Jeff takes no salary from this ministry. All gifts go to further the broadcast.

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