Luke chapter 24 tells us about the circumstances immediately following the crucifixion of Christ. He had been dead for three days. Religious rituals prevented his body to be fully prepared for the final interment so that I had to wait until Sunday morning. Those that loved him knew surely, they would find him in the grave and perform their last service toward him. Then as the women went to the tomb, they found the stone rolled away. Angels asked a very surreal question. “Why are you seeking the living among the dead?” They knew Jesus was dead and expected him to stay dead even though he said he would rise. That means they should have had a more sensible search. That also brings to the question for us, “Is our search sensible toward Jesus?”
There are many people who say they are seeking Jesus but are unable to find him. They complain that their prayers are not answered and they do not feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The reason that they are having difficulties is that they are searching for Jesus within the cares of this world. They are seeking a Jesus that has limitations on him of a powerless life. They find it difficult to seek Jesus because they are bound by their own sins that have not been confessed. To them, seeking Jesus is based on their own determined efforts. The women went to the tomb in the same way the people today go to the caverns of the usual and the expected where would be a dead Jesus. They stand guard over a presumption of Jesus not being what he demonstrated that he was. As they stood guard, they though how God should be instead of how he actually is.
Now comes the big question! Where really is Jesus? He is the heart of a committed believer. He is in the still small voice of opportunity. He is in sorrows that have been unspoken. He is at that very moment of salvation when he comes into the heart of the believer. Jesus is demonstrated over and over in the promises contained within Scripture. And Jesus is in heaven’s throne room where we will see him and greet him as we step out of our bodies to a grander life. In that same throne room Jesus can be found while he is making ready to return to us. In the meantime, he is making intercession for us before the Heavenly Father.
We should note something important about Jesus and searching. Jesus has always been searching for us. In the Garden of Eden, he searched for Adam asking where are you? He was at the Tower of Babel asking what are you doing? He spoke to the prophets of old asking people to hear the word of the Lord. He was searching in the manger as an infant because God gave his only son to search out for all of us for salvation’s sake. Jesus searched for everyone when he was resurrected going to his disciples, going to individual followers, and even appearing before five hundred people.
Perhaps our searching should be translated to looking. Know that Jesus is here right now with you and me. In fact, Jesus is always here. He said, “I will never leave, nor forsake you.” It is one thing for people to search for Christ; it is another thing for us to be found by him by opening our hearts and minds to the reality of God on earth in human form. It is the miracle that the creator of all that he left heaven strong so that he can be found and so that we can find him.
Christian Writer 