Day 19: Leviticus 4-8, Matthew 28

Leviticus 5
I like that the finances and situations of individuals are taken into account when determining what people are to bring for an offering. It considers that some of the Israelites might not be able to afford a sheep or goat or even pigeons. But God still provides the means for their forgiveness.

Matthew 28:3-7
I always imagine that this angel of the Lord has a sort of "puckish" quality to him. He states things quite matter of fact, and reassures the women at the same time that he has terrified the guards. I see him sort of crouching down, his hands on his knees, with a friendly and almost mischievous glimmer in his eyes, relaying the most incredible and important news in the history of the world: "He is Risen".

Matthew 28:8
The women left the tomb with fear AND great joy. They still didn't quite understand what had happened, but it was obviously something big.

Matthew 28:18-20
The Great Commission. The charge of Jesus Christ to go out unto all the world, spreading the gospel truth and making new disciples everywhere. It still inspires within me a need and conviction to go and share the Good News, no matter how many times I've heard it.

Today's ponderings:
When you read or hear an account of the resurrection, the Easter story, what do you imagine happening? Who are you in the story? What role do you play? Are you a passive observer or an active participant?

And what do you think of when you imagine the individual characters that are written about? What do you think of the women who waited at the tomb, for whatever reason that they were there. What do you think of the disciples, who voluntarily abandoned Christ, and were informed by women that Christ was, indeed, risen. What comes to your mind when you consider the Jewish leaders, or the Roman guards, or the people who laid Christ in the tomb? What do you imagine when you think of the angel of the Lord, coming with brilliance and clothes of lightning, intimidating the guards until yet appeared dead, but assuring the women that they need not fear, for their hopes and prayers have been answered: He is Risen!!!!

When we truly take the time to consider the events, the situation, the people involved, we see things we overlooked, things that we were never aware of in a story that we have heard hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of times. It can evoke new feelings, bring fresh insights, and inspire us to follow the Great Commission that we find less than ten verses later in the story.