He Trusts Me

The elementary gym smelled of leftovers from yesterday’s cafeteria lunch and sweaty, day-old socks, when Mr. Moore called out to us kids, “Time to line up.”

“Not the dreaded line up,” I thought. For sure I was going to be the last kid picked for any team. And then I’d have to stuff my already low self-esteem into one of those sweaty, day-old socks.

Do you remember picking teams? Were you the athletic-stand-out, therefore the first one picked? Were you the safe choice, so not picked first but thankfully not last? Or were you the last? The dreaded pick that no one wanted on their team, as if you were hazardous for the team’s health. 

No matter where you fell in the line up, I bet all our hearts were racing to be chosen. To be trusted to be on the team. To carry a role that would help win the game! And your heart might still be racing today to do the same.

Well, in our final week of study, we read about the most horrific road any hero has ever walked. Staring death in the face. Carrying the cross. Sweating blood.  Feeling, for the first time, the chasm sin created between him and his Father. All to win the big game for you and for me. 

But just after we thought our team had lost. Just after darkness fell over the land. Just after our Savior had breathed his last and let go of his Spirit. Just after his body had been carried to the tomb, a stone covering our Hope. 

Overtime got ushered in by a heavenly being, an angel that is. And guess whom the angel appeared to? Guess whom he chose to carry the news? Whom he entrusted to take the torch and declare the game had been won? To know and share that Jesus had risen and conquered death so we could be part of the family of God.

Women.

Women who loved their Savior and King. 

And if the angel’s appearance wasn’t enough, guess who else appeared to the women? Jesus, the risen Lord first appeared, according to Matthew, to women. 

This was and is a big deal. Please don’t overlook this. Let this sink into your hearts and minds. Because women in that day weren’t viewed to be a credible eyewitness. But I wonder if Jesus really cared that they wouldn’t be believed or if he just cared so much for them, he couldn’t help but to show up and ease their hearts. 

Let’s read Matthew 28:1-10 again from the New Living Translation because it’s our moment! Picture yourself alongside Mary Magdalene and Mary.

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

“Come and see” became “go and tell!” 

“Go and tell” the news of Jesus’ resurrection. The news that Christianity hinges on. The news changing the world for all time. The news validating all of the Scriptures was news entrusted to women. 

What did the women do? They ran quickly filled with awe and joy and fear to tell who? The once disciples, now brothers of Jesus, that he is alive! 

“And as they went.” (Someone needs to hear that.) As the women went into the unknown, Jesus appeared. Not before. But as they went. And what did he do?

He reassured them. He comforted them. He trusted them with his presence and a purpose to go and tell the others. And he reminded them he’d have their back and show up. 

He picked them. Women. For the most important team of all time. He trusted them and he trusts you. 

The question is what will we do? 

Will we pick up the torch and run with the news, the “good news that will bring great joy to all people” (Luke 2:10), no matter what it may look like, wherever he may send us to whomever he calls us? 

Each in our own beautiful unique ways whether it is through art, through word, through service, through care, through connection, through influence, through children or through generosity. How will we respond to the invitation to share his life, light and love with the world?

Four years ago, I stumbled on this passage. In a season where I was neither physically, emotionally nor spiritually ready to run with him. But I heard his voice. I heard his invitation. I heard his instruction in my heart.

It was time to be ready. Ready to run. Ready to run with his heart to the hurting. Ready to run with his truth to the seeking. Ready to run with his power to the quitting. Ready to run with his presence to the doubting.

And so I rose and put on my running shoes. And I have been running since.

Hear this. He chooses you. He trusts you. His dreams for you are immeasurable beyond your wildest imagination. 

He desires to bring his hope, his healing, his love, his light, his power and his presence to people through you. You have a chance to change both eternity, and the here and now, for those you love and those you don’t even know. 

So join my team. Join his team. Rise up. Put on your running shoes. We have an amazing captain. He’s captured my heart and I pray he has captured yours. He has truly shown us women extravagant love and now it’s our turn to share it.

REFLECT

• For some of us, we might have believed in God’s reality but never responded to his invitation of salvation, saying, “Yes Lord, I need you. I want you. Please be the forgiver of my sins and the leader of my life.“ Take a moment to respond or renew your commitment to him. Or just write what questions or hesitations you still have. 

• Big picture - do you want to stand on the sidelines or get on the field? What is your response to the invitation to be on his team, to “go and tell” the good news? To draw a line in the sand after our journey, write your response as a prayer below. 

• It is time to get ready, ready to run. Which invitation(s) that resonates with your heart and write down some your thoughts about what being “ready” or “running” looks like.

  • Ready to run with his heart to the hurting. 

  • Ready to run with his truth to the seeking. 

  • Ready to run with his power to the quitting. 

  • Ready to run with his presence to the doubting.

REQUEST

Regarding those dreams, journal a prayer of dedication to the Lord and ask him to bless your dreams and to keep placing his dreams in your heart.