God has Spoken

Since Easter Sunday, I’ve been thinking a lot about the experience of the women who went looking for Jesus at the tomb.

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." Matthew 28:1-7

Specifically, I’ve been thinking about what the angel said - He is not here, He is Risen, just as He said. JUST AS HE SAID. Jesus had told His followers that He would be back, that death would not be the end of Him, but that He would accomplish what the Father had sent Him to do on the cross and then be raised from the dead. Clearly, they didn’t believe, and were surprised when they went to the tomb and found it empty. He was alive. JUST AS HE SAID.

We all know about Doubting Thomas, who wouldn’t believe that Jesus was alive until he put his hands in the holes in Jesus’ side. Thomas didn’t even believe the eyewitness accounts of his friends. And he surely didn’t think Jesus could have come back to life, even though it was JUST AS HE SAID.

So how does this apply to us today? Of course, as believers, we put our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But when the little and big things of life put us to the test, do we try to solve things our way and in our time, or do we wait on God and rely on Him? God has spoken, first through His prophets, and then through His Son, now through His Holy Spirit, expounding His message through His word.

We can hold firm to the anchor that God is King and is on His throne. It is JUST AS HE SAID. We must cling to what He has said to us through His word, and put our full confidence in His promises.

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Isaiah 5:11

I don’t want to be like the women at the tomb, being surprised that He has done what He has said He would. I want to wait with expectancy for the fulfillment of God’s promises in my life!

What promises are you standing on today?

God Has Spoken
Words by George W. Briggs

God has spoken by His prophets, spoken His unchanging Word,
Each from age to age proclaiming God, the One, the Righteous Lord.
In the world’s despair and turmoil one firm anchor holds us fast;
God is King, His throne eternal, God, the first, and God, the last.

God has spoken by Christ Jesus, Christ, the everlasting Son,
Brightness of the Father’s glory, with the Father ever one;
Spoken by the Word incarnate, God of God, ere time was born;
Light of Light, to earth descending, Christ, as God in human form.

God is speaking by His spirit, speaking to our hearts again;
In the ageless Word expounding God’s own message, now as then.
Through the rise and fall of national one sure faith yet standing fast;
God abides, His Word unchanging, God the first, and God the last.