We’re talking about the end times. The two witnesses.
And here’s the line that catches me.
But after three and a half days, a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet
(Revelation 11:11)
My brain half thinks it knows where this blog post will go.
To those three and a half days.
To Jesus weeping by the tomb of his friend.
To God being near to the broken hearted.
To making space for grief when things are dead.
To not rushing the need for a happy ending.
And yes.
All of those things are true.
But this is not the word for today.
Very clearly, my heart hears that this is not the word for today.
Today, friends, I need you to know that God is in the business of breathing life.
From humanity’s first breath in the garden, through Calvary, and on to these two witnesses at the end of the story, our God breathes life.
A widow’s son, a synagogue ruler’s daughter, a dear friend. With a touch, a word, Jesus takes what was dead and breathes life.
He takes the impossible and makes it possible.
He speaks it on the cross and we see it in the blinding light of Easter Sunday.
It is finished.
Indeed.
Death defeated.
Satan trampled.
Hell conquered.
Friends, our God is in the business of breathing life.
Tonight, maybe something looks dead to you.
A relationship.
A dream.
A gift that feels like it fits awkwardly.
A word spoken over you long ago, almost forgotten.
A promise held in your heart, never even spoken aloud.
Or something entirely different.
I know it looks dead, friends.
And another day, I would sit in the ashes and grieve with you over it.
But today, I need you to remember this truth too.
Our God is in the business of breathing life.
Death-defeating, satan-trampling, hell-conquering life.
Let him hold it for a minute.
Refuse to believe that this is how the story ends.
And see what happens.
A little bit of everything... 