Resurrection Lessons Under the Snow - Chapter 1 Reflection

I had some extra time today, so hope you don't mind if I start the posts now. (Somebody has to go first, right?)  Many thanks to Kristi for organizing the group, and I hope we can be candid with each other as we take this resurrection journey together.  I'm Amy Beasley, a friend of Kristi's from church.

It seems appropriate as I'm reflecting on the first chapter of Jo's book, I look outside to see my world frozen, icy and blanketed with snow.  It seems hard to believe a spring resurrection is possible when there is no apparent evidence of life.  My soul, too, has been chilly lately.  I know the Spirit planted His bulb deep within my soil years ago, but lately I haven't been able to focus very well on prayer or Scripture.  I've been feeling like spring may never come.

But God works in mysterious, gentle ways, and He knew I needed to ask myself the question, "What does [Christ's] resurrection mean for me today?" (Q#4)  Wow.  I can't use the excuse, "Who has time to slow down and come face-to-face with something so ancient and intangible as resurrection?" (to quote Jo)  Instead, as she says, "Who can afford NOT to?"  Thank you, Jo and Kristi, for reminding me to "reach for a Bible, anyway, regardless of how I felt or didn't feel."

Just as Jo's wrestling with the importance of Jesus's resurrection was sparked in part by her mother's death, I, too, have been wrestling with life-and-death questions as I watch my mom slip away in the slow dirge of Alzheimer's.  Twelve years now, and no immediate end in sight.  Dad and I go to the nursing home nearly every day, and I see many others like Mom, losing their ability to speak, understand, and function.  Losing their personalities.  I find myself asking, what is the purpose of this prolonged illness and suffering?  Why doesn't God just take us home?  (Thankfully, Mom is a believer.)  I know that God is good, but what kindness is this?

And then I see Jesus, who after His resurrection, didn't come back just to swoop down and carry off His disciples... He came back to earth, He walked with them, ate with them, showed them His resurrected body, His scars.  He helped them understand the purpose for His suffering, and for theirs.  He gave them hope.  And it changed their lives.  As Jo says, after His resurrection, Jesus didn't change his mission, He was (and is) still pursuing those He loves.  And ultimately, it's all about Him, not me.

So there must be something more excellent, more beautiful, under the snow. "How would we live in this decaying world if the resurrection really was the center of our being?"  I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts over the next several weeks as we explore the answer to that question together.