Day 236

2 Chronicles 21:4-23:21, 1 Corinthians 15:50-16:4, Proverbs 20:25-21:4

Having given Paul a bit of a knock recently, what greater reading could there be for Easter Day:

“Where, O death, is your victory?
”Where, O death, is your sting?”

When the disciples saw Christ in the tomb they probably imagined that the devil had won. Death had claimed the life of Christ and hope is lost for ever. On that glorious Easter morning though, Christ broke free from the clutches of death, breaking our bondage to sin. Death has no victory over us, there is no sting in its tail.

So closely following the part about the spiritual resurrection, we see that death is nothing to fear, it cannot hold us and will not keep us. “Death is swallowed up in victory”. To be swallowed up is to be completely covered, to have no part still exposed – for food to be swallowed it is gone. Death is swallowed by the light.

Although the devil tries to knock at our door we stand secure in the victory of the battle that Christ has won. Whatever we are battling today, whatever addiction or feeling or pain, we can stand proud for the victory has been already been won for us, death and the devil have lost.

As I looked through the hymn book at hymns that quoted this passage, the ones that jumped out at me were the classic Easter hymns – Thine be the glory and Christ the Lord is risen today. On this day, we can claim the true power of the risen Christ for ourselves and know that we are risen with him, death and all it tried to hold over us have gone, the light of Christ shines on.