DO WE REALLY BELIEVE IT??

A question - when we (who claim to be Christians) choose not to allow God to work in our lives when we are struggling, hurting, having relationship problems with our spouse, friend, or co-worker, need spiritual, mental, physical, or emotional healing, are weary and worn out, are feeling hopeless, or any other problem you can think of - isn't that a slap in God's face? Actually, if we proclaim that the God whom we serve can do all things, heal all hurts, restore all relationships, replace all heartache with joy, why do we not let him take it from us? Why do we keep hanging on to the stuff? Why do we think we have to be in control? Are we merely saying one thing and doing another? Is this thing called "faith" merely lip service? Is the God of the universe who spoke into being the very world in which we exist unable to help us?

I ask this question because we are preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Christ this Sunday. Yet I feel like many live under the shadow of Good Friday, stuck in a grave with a stone rolled over the entrance. We say we believe in resurrection, but do we really believe that new life is available, resurrected life?

I confess, it's probably my own frustration with many of the things that have occurred recently. But folks, Jesus has come into our world to give us new, joyful, abundant life. When we choose not to believe that and appropriate what he has done for us on the cross we are in essence saying, "God, I don't really believe you can do anything about my situation. This is too big for you. Besides, I don't want to go through what it takes for you to help me". Well, do we really think that Jesus wanted to go through the crucifixion and death on the cross, that he just couldn't wait to be whipped, and beaten, and spit upon, and mocked? Yet, because he loved us so much, he did it. And miracle upon miracle, death did not have the final say. He rose from the grave on the 3rd day just as he promised.

That same victory is available to all of us. But believing is more than empty words and empty proclamation. It is acting upon what we claim to believe and allowing God to go to work in the midst of what may seem to be even the worst of situations. There is power in the resurrection. There is power in the gospel. That power is available to us. Do we believe it???