Absolutely Nothing

I'm taking a break this weekend: I'm not posting anything about child trafficking. Instead I'm reprinting something I've posted for the past 2 years on Easter Sunday called "Absolutely Nothing."  Here it is--along with a question for you to answer at the end. 

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I recently had an opportunity to spend 10 days in Israel to write two feature stories for Charisma magazine and to research Adventures With PawPaw: Israel (hopefully published soon).

Visiting a country with 6,000 years of history can be a dizzying experience, and I came home with a notebook full of information, sights, sounds, and quotes. One of the most memorable quotes was from the tour guide at the garden tomb:

"Millions of people come here from all over the world to see absolutely nothing."

Our tour guide spoke those words outside the tomb where Jesus' body was laid to rest.  Three days later on a Sunday morning, Jesus rose from the dead--and 2,000 years later the tomb is still empty.

I always wondered why friends who went to Israel all came home with the exact same photo:  a picture of themselves peeking out of the empty tomb with a big grin on their face. 

Now I know why; there's something about looking into that empty tomb carved out of the side of the hill and seeing the evidence of your faith.  It's empty!  It's true!  He is risen!

Naturally I had the same grin on my face, and had to have the same photo.  So here, direct to you from Jerusalem, is my Easter photo, along with my prayer that the hope represented by that empty tomb will fill your life with joy and meaning this day and forever.

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?'" (John 11:25-26).

Comments

[EBMurphy]

Hi Diana! I love this post :) I was just looking at my very same pictures of the empty Garden Tomb last night. What a wonderful experience to get to see that beautiful sight of nothing, firsthand.

I hope you are having a fantastic time at the art show today and I can't wait to hear all about it!

[Angela]

He is risen! What a great article, Diana. I am so glad there is absolutely nothing there to look at!!!!