What’s Next?
It’s so hard to predict the future, even one day. Some days the weather forecasters are right, but
there are plenty of inaccurate forecasts. As I write this meditation we have had the explosion at the
Palmer Candy Co killing 7, then tornadoes claiming over 20 lives in the Midwest and destroying
whole communities, and an elementary school shooting taking the lives of 6. The mass shooting
(4 or more injured or killed) was the 113th shooting in 2023.
What’s next was a question the disciples asked on Good Friday. With Jesus’ death his followers worried what might happen to them. We are told they were hiding together on Sunday when the women brought word that the grave was empty. Initially, the women’s news added to the disciples’ anxiety. The men (typical?) thought their words were “crazy.” The early hours of Easter were not a time of joy for the disciples. But later that day Easter became an incredible experience as the disciples met the risen Lord. Easter and the days following were the beginning of a renewed and changed and powerful relation with the risen Christ. Of course, the question of “what’s next?” remained throughout their lives as the disciples followed Jesus and shared the Good News of Jesus resurrection.
There is nothing like Easter to bring hope back to life. Easter has its own anthems, scriptures and its own proc- lamation: “He is not here, for he has risen, just as he said....” With this powerful message Easter is for us a reassuring morning. Yes, Easter is a day not to miss; a day to rejoice in the love of God for us, his children. Yes, there is hope in this life and our eternal home: “For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” (I Cor. 15:53).
HE IS RISEN! Hope and purpose and meaning were restored to Jesus’ followers. We too live in this life with uncertainties. By the way, on April 14,1865 (Good Friday) President Abraham Lin- coln was assassinated. What’s next? For individuals and a nation we rely on hope and trust that God’s abiding love, guidance, comfort, and eternal promises are with us for our life-long journey. God bless!
Pastor Wayne