It is with tears in my eyes
that I am writing this devotional, this Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011. For over
two months I have been praying daily for a miracle to happen in the life of a
young
girl named Haydelle,
who I never had the opportunity to meet.
Like any
teenager,
she had plans for a bright future, a future where she would make a difference in
people's lives. However she had a condition that was deteriorating rapidly. She
had cancer that
metastasized
quickly
into her
liver, lungs and other organs
as well,
and her doctors were far from hopeful.
I have a son who is about her age, and I can only
imagine the nightmare she had to face on a daily basis.
But she didn't let it get to her.
She was fortunate enough to be surrounded by
people who gave her encouragement.
And in return, she
gave them hope!
Each day she
would
joyfully say that even though her
prayer was not yet answered, she was one day closer to its fulfillment.
She would truthfully declare that she wasn't disappointed that she hadn't yet
received her miracle, for she trusted in God!
This girl's faith was contagious. Although she was
suffering deeply, she focused on the positive and relied on the Saviour she
believed in.
One of the volunteers with this ministry felt led to
make her a beautiful frosted glass egg, adorned by a butterfly. Just like an egg
is found empty once the chick hatches, this one was empty. Why? Because Jesus'
tomb was found empty, this empty egg signified hope.
The volunteer who made the egg wrote, "The design on
the egg is just handmade, but it carries with it the love of Jesus and mine.
While I was making the egg, I prayed over every item that became a part of it,
just as Jesus fashioned each part of us all for His glory."
It took almost 4 weeks for this present
to reach this young girl, four days before her
death. Upon seeing the egg, she uttered in her faint voice
"Thank you". The words "The tomb is empty
because 'He is not here. He is risen' had such an important significance to
that youngster.
Her wish before she passed away was to see her Heavenly Father and to hear Him
say "It is finished!"
Just a few days later,
during the night, Haydelle's
wish was fulfilled. No one doubted
that this young one was now in the presence of her Maker, enjoying His glorious
company.
Without knowing it,
this youngster
has touched more lives in her death than she could ever have done if she had
lived a full life on this Earth. Her message is clear to all of us: "There is
hope in our God!" Her dream of making a difference in this world was realized,
as was her wish for healing.
Haydelle is now walking on the golden streets
of Heaven. How can she stop
herself from laughing? Jesus redeemed her!
He welcomed her personally into His Kingdom.
There is rejoicing, absolute rejoicing in heaven, for that pure soul believed in
the empty tomb where Jesus had been buried, as was symbolized by that
present she received.
Those of us who are left behind mourn. We have lost
someone precious. One day though, I will personally experience that empty egg as
well! Why? Because I also believe in the promise of the empty tomb!
Haydelle
is indeed alive and well, and she wouldn't want to be in any other place, except
in the arms of Jesus.
Easter is a reminder to all of us that the tomb is
indeed empty. We also
commemorate
this
every Sunday. And
because the tomb is empty, we have hope!
When those, who had seen Jesus die 2000 years ago,
realized that He had, indeed, been raised from the dead, they were also filled
with hope. Read their words of excitement, their words of hope:
"I have seen the Lord!" (John 20:18 NIV)
"We have seen the Lord!" (John 20:25 NIV)
"This is the disciple who testifies to these things
and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true." (John 21:24 NIV)
"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb…"
(Luke 24:2 NIV)
"He is not here; he has risen!" (Luke 24:6 NIV)
"He has risen from the dead." (Matt 28:4 NIV)
"He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers
at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen
asleep." (1 Cor 15:6 NIV)
Because Jesus has risen from the tomb, we too can
expect a bright future!
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead
is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." (Rom 8:11 NIV)
"But about the resurrection of the dead - have you not
read what God said to you, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." (Matt 22:31-32
NIV)
We are truly alive if we are filled by His presence,
the presence of victory, the presence of the Risen One.
The tomb is indeed empty. "He is not here; he has
risen!" Hallelujah!
Welcome home,
my friend!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.