Paying Respects

“Night and day among the tombs he would cry out.” Mark 2:5

Several generations of my family are buried at a beautiful cemetery in Charlotte. Throughout my life, I have visited that cemetery while cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents were laid to rest. The most recent tombstone was that of my dad’s a few years back. Many tears have flowed at that cemetery as I have reflected over past lives and past losses. Whenever I go to place flowers on my dad’s grave, I always visit the headstones of other family members. I move from one grave to the next, and my eyes fall upon the names engraved in stone as if I needed convincing of the reality.

In the Greek translation, the root word for tomb means ‘to recall or remember.’ We tend to live our lives in mental cemeteries, moving from one tombstone of remembrance to another. Our thoughts mark that this dream died so the marker says Failure. We lay flowers on the grave of Hope because after all, it died prematurely and was struck down in its youth. We allow Satan to lay down his flowers, cluttering our markers and giving him freedom in our minds. ‘His one goal is to contain and restrain…entomb so he can consume.’ Lazarus Awakening, Joanna Weaver, p. 73.

We cannot allow the enemy access into our mind, giving him opportunities to lay flowers upon our hopes and dreams. In Christ, we have engravings that reflect life instead of death. ‘I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.’ Isaiah 49:15-16.

We have a more beautiful tomb – an empty tomb! There is no need for flowers for Christ conquered this grave. Christ has set before us the freedom to walk out of our self-imposed tombs and choose life. ‘…that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life.’ Deut. 30:19-20.