"Come and see!"

These words have been rolling around in my heart all day! I have been thinking about when we hear the words “Come and see” in the Bible.  When  Andrew wanted to know more about Jesus, He said, “Come and see!” (John 1: 39) When Nathaniel wondered if “anything good could come out of Nazareth”…Philip said, “Come and see” Jesus for yourself! (John 1:46) When Jesus went to Bethany after Lazarus died, the people said, “Come and see” and He miraculously raised him from the dead (John 11:35). Through Isaiah, God says, “Come and see My glory!” (Isaiah 66:18) Psalms 66:5 says, “Come and see the glorious things God has done.” In Revelations, we told to “come and see” as the seals are opened and the future is foretold.

But today, I am thinking about Mary hearing these words at Jesus’ tomb when the angel said, “Come and see” that the tomb was empty and Jesus had risen! Hallelujah! He is alive! I woke up this morning thinking about the fact that Pete was celebrating his first Easter in Heaven today…then I realized it was Easter in Heaven every day!!! And in reality, it is here, too, because Jesus is alive in our hearts right here every day when we allow Him to be!

My heart is extra tender to the grief that Mary and all of Jesus’ followers must have felt when Jesus was crucified more than ever before.  Having lost the person I loved most in all the world this year, I understand the depth of grief in a new way. Our (and their) relationship with Jesus is/was as a Savior, yet I realize that His followers who lived with Him had also developed a deep personal human friendship, too. I am sure they struggled with combining the preciousness of their human friendship with Jesus with trying to understand what it meant that Jesus was God’s Son and their Savior. I keep thinking about the depth of their grief…the man they loved and had followed, sought to protect, stood up for, learned from, were amazed by, worshipped…He had been beaten, He had been spit upon, He had been humiliated, He had been forced to carry a heavy cross and then He had been brutally crucified. I can only imagine their confusion and their sadness….and their wonderings of what to do now.

I am sure the women dragged heavy hearts to the tomb that Sunday morning…wanting to go and care for His body but dreading the sight of seeing Him in such a beaten way. Yet, I so admire their strength in being deliberate about wanting to honor Him…even though their hearts were broken! I can only imagine their joy when they heard the words, “Come and see!”

I have felt Jesus say, “Come and see” often to me this year. Come and see…how I will assure you that Pete is with Me now in Heaven. Come and see…how precious and sweet your relationship will be with Me while you go through this valley of the shadow of death. Come and see…how I will be right there for you every step of every day if you will only look for Me. Come and see…how tightly I will hold your hand if you will just reach out for Me. Come and see…how I have a plan for your life and I want you to seek ways to bring Me glory even though life is different from what you thought it would be. Come and see…that I am here.

I want to be like those women of long ago. I want to be deliberate about honoring Him in spite of the fact that my heart is broken. I want to be deliberate about seeking ways to glorify Him.

Tomorrow is our anniversary! Pete and I would have been married 20 years tomorrow…Yes, April Fool’s Day! Pete always got the biggest kick out of the fact that he talked me into marrying him on April Fool’s Day! It was always easy to remember though! We felt like we had always been together…those years went by so quickly! On our anniversary last year, we were saying how we wanted to plan to do something special for this anniversary! I know he will be doing something special up in Heaven and I have plans to stay busy with friends and family to help me through the day. I have a feeling that Jesus will say to me tomorrow , “Come and see how I will be enough for you…how I will send you love through memories, through my Word, and through others. Come and see…that I am right here.”

Come and see…

that Jesus is alive and real

and a mighty presence in our lives when we invite Him in!

Hallelujah!