He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. –Matthew 28:6
Many times, when we read a familiar story in the Bible, we overlook certain phrases. Such was the case when I read the resurrection account in Scripture recently. However, this verse was on a calendar that I keep next to where I read my Bible. This phrase from the verse struck me one morning. …as he said. Jesus had told His disciples and His other followers that He would rise again; but when it indeed happened, why did they not believe it? Probably for the same reason that we do not believe God’s promises to us: a lack of faith.
See, it is not difficult for us to believe that Jesus rose from the grave because we have read it in the Bible, but for those who lived during that time, it was hard to believe that it would truly happen. It is not difficult for us to believe that Moses parted the Red Sea, that Daniel was delivered from the lions’ den, or that the Hebrew children were delivered from the fiery furnace. We have read about it and believe those accounts really happened. However, the men in the Bible had to have true faith in order to trust in God, stand up for what they believed, and worship God no matter the outcome.
There have been situations in my own life when I did not see how God was going to deliver me from that circumstance, but He did! Then, the next time I face uncertainty or a situation that looks as if there is no way out, how can I believe that God will deliver me? I can because He has done it before, and He will do it again! The past is a promise! There is a song that my family likes to sing, and the chorus goes like this:
I just go back to the moment He saved me;
I just go back to every prayer He’s answered for me.
Then I don’t have to worry about my next blessing;
The past is a promise I’ll have all that I need.
How do I know that God will supply all my needs? He promised that He would, as He said! How do I know that God will answer my prayer? He promised that He would, as He said! How do I know that the Lord will return someday? He promised that He will, as He said!
by Erin Montgomery
