Inexpressible Joy

I couldn't sleep on Saturday night. I tossed and turned and got frustrated. I finally just got out of bed about 6am and made some coffee. I am never up that early and I got really excited about getting to watch the sun rise. The sky was already a pale blue color and the light was on every surface. I took my coffee and put on my shoes and found a spot outside where I had an unobstructed view of the mountains where the sun was sure to peek out from at any minute. I stood. I listened. I waited eagerly for what I knew was sure to come. I talked to God about how beautiful it all was. The birds flying by, the way the sky changes color and how you can actually see it if you pay close enough attention. I talked to Him about how today was Easter. I talked to my Jesus knowing that He's alive and well. I spent alot of time this week really thinking about Holy Week and the events and how things happened and what people must have been thinking and feeling and about my Jesus as he rode triumphantly into Jerusalem knowing that the road would lead all the way up a dirt road to a cross that was being carried on his back.

I knew I had to be at church at 8am and needed time to get ready. At 7:15 when the sun hadn't shown its face yet, I finally had to turn and go inside. I was a bit disappointed. I was so looking forward to that really bright silver lining the mountains get when the sun is just inches from its border. The way the sun just creeps up and you can see the circle get bigger and bigger. You can watch the whole thing and see every stage, or you can blink for half a second and miss the whole thing!

The greatest thing is that even though I had to leave and didn't get to see the actual rise of the brilliant sun, I didn't for one second doubt that it would come up. I never thought that maybe it wouldn't show itself today. I knew it was there. I knew it was as bright and beautiful as ever and was just lying in wait a few degrees below the horizon waiting for the command from God to "Go ahead and get up there!" I knew that the very second I turned my back, it would come. I knew that every day since the dawn of creation, the sun has risen. It shows itself in the eastern sky every morning without fail.

When I got out of the shower, the living room was full of the most brilliant yellow light. The sun had finally come just like I knew it would. And it was a day full of so much joy. It should be with that kind of start!

Is that how the women felt that morning when they met Jesus on the road knowing that they had buried him the day before?