“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you! For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1-2 NKJV
Growing up, it was a special treat to walk into the kitchen to see the large yellow Pyrex mixing bowl covered with a fresh dish towel. That meant one of two things: Mama was making homemade yeast dinner rolls (yay!) or, even better, she was making her famous (drumroll, please) yeast cinnamon rolls!
I’d run back and forth to the kitchen, checking the progress of the rising dish towel as the yeast did its work in the covered doughy mixture. It got more exciting when Mama removed the towel to punch, push, and knead the dough before turning it onto a flour-covered piece of waxed paper.
That’s when the floured rolling pin was applied with gusto to the large doughball. Sometimes Mama would let me try my hand at rolling, which is harder than it looks. I did much better at spreading the cinnamon-and-sugar mixture over the still-warm melted butter that Mama had poured over the flattened circle of dough. It smelled like heaven to me.
I loved the way Mama would quickly roll the fragrant dough into a long, thick cinnamon-and-sugar-filled tube. She’d pinch both ends so that no goodness would escape while she efficiently cut the tube into thick slices, which were immediately placed into already-buttered baking pans. After one more rising opportunity, the pans of cinnamon rolls were placed into the hot oven.
There’s nothing better than the smell of yeast cinnamon rolls baking. Oh, the glorious aroma, my olfactory memories are kicking into overdrive!
Wait! I take that back! There is something better than the smell of yeast cinnamon rolls baking. It’s the taste of still-warm-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls slathered with vanilla icing, melting as it touches your tongue.
Hope that ignited when I first saw that yellow Pyrex mixing bowl covered with a clean dish towel was fully realized with that first delicious bite.
This past Friday, we remembered the darkest day in history when Jesus Christ, the pure and spotless Lamb of God, was mocked and tortured, and then hanged on a cruel and rugged cross for the sins of all mankind. Jesus died. The long-promised Messiah was buried in a borrowed tomb, the entrance securely closed with an enormous boulder. And for a long moment, it seemed all hope had died.
But Sunday was coming.
Sabbath was over. It was early Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary made their way to Jesus’ tomb. Imagine their surprise when the ground began to quake, rolling the giant boulder away from the tomb’s entrance, and an angel of the Lord appeared. His appearance was like lightning, his clothing pure snow white.
The soldiers guarding the tomb had fainted and fallen to the ground like dead men. The angel quickly reassured the two Marys:
But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples that He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Matthew 28:5-8 ESV
Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, and hope was restored—that day for the disciples and followers of Christ, and forevermore, for every believer from the beginning of time until time is no more.
Hope lives because Jesus is risen.
Claim that hope as yours.
Take it in.
Taste it.
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8 NIV
Celebrate and rejoice in the fullness of joy wrapped up in the truth that Jesus lives.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
That is the reason for a celebration of joy and a hope-filled life. It’s not a once-a-year acknowledgment. It is a heart-filling, life-changing hope and joy that should saturate every day of the year and every year of your life.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5 ESV