The door slammed shut blocking any trace of light entering the pitch black room. He might as well have been dead and buried; the crushing experience was the same. Isolated, abandoned, rejected, ridiculed, he could only cower in a tight ball thankful he could still breathe. He had been beaten and bloodied…again.
The boy was eleven, small for his age, but wiry and strong. He could run like the wind, yet had not run from his uncle, his “guardian” whose heavy hand hurt him. They lived in a fine house near the center of town, the outside glitz shamming the ugliness inside. Summertime was the worse. He could be locked in his tomb for days, no one the wiser.
“This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,
This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,
This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…”
A sweet voice reached his ears through the outside walls of his windowless room. The song brought memories of words sung and Bible stories heard when his parents, now dearly departed two years, took him to church. A picture of a small candle lighting up his darkness came to mind, and he gingerly sat up, groped to find the cot, and crawled onto it. He could just see it there on the small bookcase nearby, a little candle shining brightly, winking and twinkling friendliness. No, he was not alone. A wisp of happiness and hope wafted over him.
As he lay in his candle glow he thought of the story of Easter, Jesus rising from the dead, the sealed stone of His tomb found rolled away, and Jesus walking in the garden. “Jesus, I need You. Would You get me out of this tomb?” the boy simply asked. “I don’t know how to get out of here.” And falling asleep, he dreamed of his deliverance.
*
Jesus intimately understands vulnerability, humility, the pain of abuse, a gruesome death…and the tortured separation from His Father with Whom He was united in all ways. As He bore mankind’s sins, yours and mine, on the cross He cried, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”
Sin does that…separates us from the Father. And though “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust,” His ideal is to resurrect us now to live above all that steals His goodness from us.
What has me entombed today? Where in my life am I clinging to sin or untruths that hold me hostage? Whether by the hand of others or my own choice, how am I bound? Is it despair, grief, hopelessness? Enticements of the world?Philosophies contrary to God’s plan? Fear of any kind? There is only One I know who has defeated death, thereby conquering all that would defeat me; who offers rebirth for my spirit to live free from my tombs day by day…redeemed, changed, and reconciled for eternity, to walk with Him – risen – in the garden.
“Jesus, I need You! Would You get me out of this tomb?”
~~~
LORD, thank You for Your sacrifice for me, for bearing my sin, for going through the torture and pain in my place. Thank You, Father, for Jesus’ triumph over death, and Your amazing gift of forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation, and eternal life. Let me truly understand and appreciate Your great Love for me every day. Show me the Way, LORD, and let me be willing to follow. Thank You, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Luke 24:36-40 NKJV “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” 40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
Matthew 5:44-45 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Dew Upon The Arbor 