“妇女们就急忙离开坟墓，又害怕，又大大地欢喜，跑去要报给他的门徒。” - 太 28:8

教会青年小组最激动人心的出游活动之一是去游乐园玩。我记得我住在密歇根州时，曾带着一个小组参加过这样的活动。我不太喜欢过山车，但我爬上了一辆叫 “终极加速赛车”的车厢。那辆车厢在3.8秒内从每小时0加速到120英里，并将乘客带到420英尺高的空中。那是一次令人惊奇的体验，我再也不想去了。它让人兴奋，同时也让人害怕。

当妇女们在耶稣从死里复活的那天早上离开坟墓时，她们既害怕又欢喜。她们来到坟墓寻找耶稣的身体，却遇到了一位大能的天使，他说耶稣已经复活了。看到天使，却没有找到她们所指望的，这使她们感到害怕。但听到她们的朋友、老师和主已经从死里复活，她们又很欢喜。

惧怕往往可以伴随着喜悦。我们的生活可能充满了对各种事物的惧怕——对我们的健康、工作或未来的惧怕。但我们也可以对同样的事情——健康、事业和未来充满喜悦。我们既可以对我们的未来感到惧怕，也可以对我们未来的可能性感到喜悦。下次当惧怕笼罩着你的时候，求神帮助你找到一个理由，让你也变得喜乐起来。我们的未来在祂手中。

祷告

喜乐的父，当惧怕似乎无处不在时，请帮助我们看到，我们也可以为你将我们握在手中的事实而欢欣。我们在你里面欢喜。阿们。

马太福音 28:1-10

1安息日将尽，七日的头一日天快亮的时候，抹大拉的马利亚和那个马利亚来看坟墓。
2忽然，地大震动，因为有主的使者从天上下来，把石头滚开，坐在上面。
3他的相貌如同闪电，衣服洁白如雪。
4看守的人就因他吓得浑身乱战，甚至和死人一样。
5天使对妇女说：“不要害怕！我知道你们是寻找那钉十字架的耶稣。
6他不在这里，照他所说的，已经复活了。你们来看安放主的地方！
7快去告诉他的门徒，说他从死里复活了，并且在你们以先往加利利去，在那里你们要见他。看哪，我已经告诉你们了！”
8妇女们就急忙离开坟墓，又害怕又大大地欢喜，跑去要报给他的门徒。
9忽然，耶稣遇见她们，说：“愿你们平安！”她们就上前抱住他的脚拜他。
10耶稣对她们说：“不要害怕！你们去告诉我的弟兄，叫他们往加利利去，在那里必见我。”

Filled With Joy

"So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples." - Matthew 28:8

One of the most exciting outings for a church youth group is a trip to an amusement park. I remember taking a group on a trip like that when I lived in Michigan. I’m not a big fan of roller coasters, but I climbed onto one called the Top Thrill Dragster. That roller coaster went from 0 to 120 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds and would take its riders 420 feet up in the air. It was an amazing ride that I never want to go on again. It was exhilarating and frightening at the same time.

As the women left the tomb on the morning that Jesus had risen from the dead, they were filled with both fear and joy. They had come to the tomb looking for Jesus’ body, and instead they met a mighty angel, who said that Jesus had risen. Seeing the angel and not finding what they were figuring on made them afraid. But hearing that their friend, teacher, and Lord had risen from the dead gave them joy.

Fear can often be accompanied by joy. Our lives can be filled with fear about all sorts of things—fear about our health, our jobs, or our future. But our lives can be filled with joy about the same things as well—our health, careers, and future. We can be both afraid of our future and joyful about our future possibilities. The next time fear overtakes you, ask God to help you find a reason to be joyful as well. Our future is in his hands.

Prayer

Father of joy, when fear seems all too present, help us to see that we can also rejoice in the fact that you hold us in your hands. We rejoice in you. Amen.