THE BEST DAY EVER!

Sing to God a brand new song, He’s made a world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves, He set things right.
Psalm 98:1

The two boys entered the front door unexpectedly. They only thought they were gathering clothes from home for a sleepover with Lala and PopPop. They had no idea the surprise awaiting them right around the corner. They had no clue their parents had traveled over 400 miles to give their boys this special gift. Even their parents had butterflies in their stomachs. They were filled with anticipation over the boy’s reaction to the present waiting for them. The puppy sniffed his new surroundings. He had no idea what or who would be bounding around the corner.
Asher spotted him first and he squealed with euphoria. Lucas joined in the celebration. Mama was in the background recording it all as if it were Christmas morning. The puppy shivered a little, not use to so much excitement. The sleepover with Lala and PopPop long forgotten. “This is the best day ever!” Asher couldn’t contain his excitement. “Let’s name him,” Asher was already picking Murphy up to calm the puppy’s shivering.

So the LORD GOD formed from the ground all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals… Genesis 2:19-20

“Come Adam, I have a fun game we should play. I call it “Name that animal.” The LORD GOD spoke excitedly to his newest creation. What a day the two had! The Creator and the created enjoyed the companionship as the Creator brought each animal to the man to see what he would call them. The man watched in awe as the Sculptor molded each animal from the ground and gave breath, then life into each one. Adam didn’t move. He didn’t have to for the LORD GOD brought the animals to him. This was his assignment for right now; just sit and observe the Sculptor at work; and then he would give the animal it’s name after the Creator would bring it before him. Adam laughed as God stretched the neck of this animal. “Let’s name it a giraffe,” he said as Creator God put it before Adam with pleasure.

The first story was the day my two grandsons met their new puppy, Murphy. Nikki and Adam invited us to participate in the wonder that day would possess. The excitement of boys getting a new puppy is intoxicating. Boys and puppies just fit.
Now, put that excitement into the day God created the animals and allowed Adam to name them. I have asked God to wake up my wonder. These stories in God’s Word are more than words on a page, especially the story of creation. They are filled with wonder, and drama, and astonishment. I can almost hear Ad yelling, “best day ever!” Don’t you think that would have been so amazing to watch God mold and shape an elephant; then have Him bring it to you to name. We were created to enjoy God! He is our Creator! Just like Nikki and Adam loving their two boys so much they want to give them special gifts: so our God loves us so much, He wants to give us sensational gifts also. But too often, just like Asher and Lucas we walk through those front doors without any expectation of what is in store for us. We have no clue what surprises God has lined up for our lives. I just don’t want to miss any of them.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome were clueless that Sunday morning they went to the tomb of Jesus to anoint his body with burial spices.

“Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning just at sunrise, they went to the tomb . On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.” Mark 16:1-6

“But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.” Then they remembered that he had said this.” Luke 24:1-8

The women had no clue what awaited them at the tomb of Jesus. They went there with no expectancy though Jesus had told them He would rise again after 3 days. They traveled to the tomb with broken hearts for their Lord had died. They had helped bury Him. What they found brought such joy and jubilation, they rushed back to tell his disciples and everyone else what had happened.

“Look Lala and PopPop, Mama and Daddy brought us a new puppy!” Lucas shouted with an exclamation point

Lord wake up our wonder to the empty tomb!
God make us rush to tell others, “The tomb is empty! Jesus is not dead! He is alive!