Mark 14:42

A condition that we may miss during our Lenten examination of the soul may be one of the most obvious. We simply don’t think about it like we think about acts of sin we commit. I’m talking about being down when the Lord said, “Rise up!”

If you take a look at the number of RISE UPS in the Bible you will soon understand that God is in the business of lifting people up. Jesus often spoke those words to people who thought that they would never hear them. Some were adults who had never stood up in their entire life. Then Jesus came and said, “Rise up!” Every time he said those two words a miracle happened. He even spoke them to the dead, and they arose. There is not one place, or time, recorded when He said, “Rise up,” and the person stayed down.

Could it be that some of us might look into the Lenten mirror this morning and hear our soul plead: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 43:5) It is not always our body that is cast down, but often our very soul.

“Rise up and let us go,” were the words that Jesus said to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. Sometimes a person may rather stay down then get up, but Jesus bids us to rise and walk with Him even to the cross.

“It’s time to rise up Jesus.” I can imagine a Mother’s voice awakening her little boy to a new day. I can also imagine the words of His Father on a morning after a cold dark night. “Rise up Son! It is a new day.” Let the church sing, “Were you there when He rose up from the grave? Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when He rose up from the grave?

Our soul might want to argue that it is not a sin to be down. It is if the Lord said to get up. Today is a new day.

“Rise up and shine, for your light has come. The shining-greatness of the Lord has risen upon you” Isaiah 60:1.