Rise up, let us go!
By Ratko Filipovich
Today, after about two thousand years, we still remember the day of Jesus' resurrection. And just because we do, we have a reason to celebrate.
Our God designed the plan to save the fallen planet from very beginning, and He did keep His word. The battle on the cross ended with a great victory, and three days later we received a new beginning.
Jesus was resurrected that day and I take that as a fact.
Even faith is not necessary anymore. As a Christian I have no problem with that. After so many personal experience's with Jesus in my life, it is practically impossible for me not to believe that He is alive today.
Since we live in age of science, the question is how to provide some evidence. It is definitely possible to provide the proof if we approach the task with an open mind. There are things and facts around us we usually take for granted; like waking up every morning. I see that process as a miracle. How each new day begins for me is not just product of nature. "Somebody" waking me up and providing for me a new life every morning. In a way, during my lifetime, I am resurrected every morning. It is true that at some point my sleep will be longer than normal size. At that point, people will say that I am dead. But I don't think that my sleep will be as long as everyone else around me will witness my death.
I am going to experience death as a moment between breathing (ending one breath and beginning another one). The difference will be Jesus in front of my face when I start a new breath. What a joy that will be!
To provide an evidence to some Christians is easy, but also necessary sometimes (building a faith is a life time journey). Most of the Christians search the answers from the Bible. During Jesus' earthly life he mentioned Jonah as a risen prophet after 3 days and 3 nights. Another direct prophecy is written in a book of Hosea 6:2 -
"After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight."
It is very interesting how Jesus woke the disciples three times during his agony in Gethsemane. Somehow he is fulfilling his normal task in advance, knowing that his next three days he will be away in the grave. Also, when He woke them up the third time He said: "Rise up, "LET US" go;" Mark 14:42
When He wakes us up, He Himself is going with us together, whatever life line direction it is! It is a beautiful feeling to be aware of Jesus waking us up every morning. It is even more special to know that He will be first to greet us after we die. Just like he said for Lazarus, he will say for each one of us: “Our friend Lazarus (Ratko, Wes, Linda, Dave, Jeri....) sleepeth; but I GO, that I may awake him/her out of sleep." John 11:11
