Episode 46: April 23 - He Won't Be There

CCNCN Lenten Reflections by Dick Ober

They’re going to go to the wrong place:

the women tomorrow morning

and the men.

He said he wouldn’t be there:

“…and on the third day be raised.” (Matthew 16:21)

But they go there anyway, innocently enough

on the part of the women.

Then the men:

What’s the matter didn’t you believe the women?

Or Jesus?

He said he wouldn’t be there.

They said he wasn’t there.

Yet that’s where you go to look for him.

Don’t let me be too critical.

We do the same thing.

All the time.

Always looking for God in the wrong places:

empty tombs.

empty forms.

empty words.

empty rituals.

Not that they have to be empty, of course.

But if they have become so for you

why keep looking there?

I didn’t find God there last time I looked,

but I’m going to look there again, because

once upon a time I

--or my grandmother or somebody--

found God there

so that must be the place to look.

“He is not here, he has risen.” (Luke 24:5)

Then where will I find him?

In unexpected places.

Look for God where you wouldn’t expect

to find God.

Be ready to be surprised by God.

Consider the women (as told by Matthew)

Surprised by the empty tomb.

Surprised by the messenger.

Surprised by the Risen Christ himself.

Holy surprises!

Popping up at every turn!

Where next?

Yes, that’s it. Where next?

In my life? In your life?

In that stranger walking toward you?

It’s going to be very tempting tomorrow

to go look in the empty tomb.

Don’t be surprised if he’s not there.

But stay alert, because

if he’s not there,

who knows where he might pop up next?