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Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him.”

Panic, confusion, and emptiness filled Mary Magdalene. Already her heart was heavy with grief as she prepared for one last act of love for the one she had followed as the promised Messiah. She would help anoint his body for burial and then leave the tomb without hope and without help. But now this was too much to bear. Not only was her friend dead, but his body was also missing.

First, panic set in. “What could have happened?” Mary must have thought. Then confusion followed. “How could just a few days change my life so much? Just days ago, I thought I had found the Messiah. How I loved listening to him! His words freed me from my burdens. I really thought Jesus was the one. But now he’s gone. What am I to do?” And now her life felt empty. No Jesus. No hope. No help.

And that’s how our lives would also be, if Jesus had never been found, or if his dead body would have been discovered in the tomb or elsewhere. Without a risen Savior, we could have no hope, no help, no forgiveness, no life. Then we would have every reason to panic. Then confusion and emptiness would be our lot in life, and we would be pitiable and hopeless indeed.

Thankfully, the apostle Paul assures us in the book of 1 Corinthians, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Thank the Lord, we know where our risen Savior is! He’s not in the grave, for he is alive, and we have the certain hope that we live eternally. Now our life remains full, today and forever!

Lord Jesus, today I rejoice in the reality of your resurrection and the hope and help it provides. Amen.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.