Read Luke 24:7 as a Family

Have you ever had something happen that was so wonderful that your brain had a hard time believing it? One year my family moved from New York to Chicago, leaving our grandparents and cousins behind. Now the holidays were here, and we were away from the usual big family gatherings, and we felt sad. To make things worse, my parents announced one night just before Christmas vacation that we had to pile in the car and drive to the airport. Our dad had to pick up a business associate. Nothing could be more boring than your dad's business associate at a boring airport just before a boring vacation. But we were given no choice.

Glumly, we climbed into the car. We sat in silence, unhappily enduring an unpleasant errand. At O'Hare Airport, we filed out of the car and into the building, and began The Wait. Passengers arrived from other airplanes. Families greeted one another, bags of gifts hanging off their arms. "Sure," we thought. "You get to have a family Christmas." We sighed a collective sigh. Finally the loudspeaker announced the arrival of the plane we were waiting for. We plodded over to the gate. The passengers poured out of the plane. We looked, but for who? We didn't even know what this business associate looked like.

Suddenly, my parents got excited. The passengers were all out now. And coming down the jetway right toward us were our Grandpa and Grandma! What?! These were the "business associates?" My brother and sister and I were dazed, but thrilled! Our heads were trying to understand what had just happened. What a wonderful thing to figure out!

I wonder if Jesus' friends felt something like we felt that night? Some women who loved Jesus felt the saddest they had ever felt. Jesus had died a few days before, and his body had been put in a tomb. The women waited until after the Sabbath to go wrap his body in spices, for burial. But when they arrived, they found...nothing. Two men who gleamed like lightning appeared. "He is not here!" they said. "He is risen! Remember how he told you: the Son of Man must be delivered over to sinners, be crucified, and on the third day be raised again!"

What?! The women were dazed but thrilled. Their heads were trying to understand what had just happened. What a wonderful thing to figure out!

– Carol Kenyon