The Empty Tomb

Acts 17:33-34 (NRSV)
When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, "We will hear you again about this." At that point Paul left them. But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Resurrection from the dead? Hah! That's impossible! Empty tomb? Must have been grave-robbers. Maybe it was a conspiracy to guarantee that God's promise to raise Jesus from the dead on the third day was fulfilled. God couldn't have done that on His own. He needed sneaky humans to do that. Humans sneaky enough to deceptively neatly fold the linens before they left.

Jesus and the Resurrection: The Epicureans and Stoics in downtown Athens are at first fascinated by these new "gods". But at the mention of raising Jesus from the dead, their belief system was challenged. Some scoffed. Others needed more evidence. But some became believers through faith alone.

I like my salsa hot. I like my coffee strong and black. I like my God straight-up, undiluted, full-strength, no ice please. I want my God in my face, edgy, personal, powerful, and infinitely wonder-full.

I was created as a projection of God. I do not want to worship a god who is just a projection of me. Why would I want to follow a finite, logical, I-got-it-all-figured-out, categorized, filed-on-the-shelf god? I want a God who is mysterious, fascinating, who lives and loves through me in ways that are far beyond my feeble human abilities to figure out how, or when, or why.

I want a Resurrection that will remain a mystery as long as God is God. It is the mysteries that keep me knowing that He is indeed alive and at work within me. If I explain away the mysteries, I explain away my faith.

I want a God who makes me smile with wonder every time I look back at this chess game of life and marvel at His unveiling strategies. Surprise me at every turn, Lord. Don't show me where I am supposed to be tomorrow! Just let me accept, on faith, that my next move today is yours. I am your pawn. Nudge me. I will follow. Tomorrow is soon enough for You to show me where we've been.