It’s Resurrection Sunday, also known as Easter. I’m a Christian, and the resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ, is a defining moment. If He had only lived and died, He would be like everyone else. But He rose on the third day, just like He said He would, and walked on the Earth another 40 days before ascending to Heaven in a cloud of glory.

Resurrection. Sometimes the word stabs my heart, because I have a sweet daughter whose body quit way too soon. I was there some time later, as the doctors worked on a shell whose spirit had long left and was enjoying the wonder and splendor and perfect love and complete health of heaven. When they gave up, I did not, and continued to call her back in Jesus’ name, because I believe in that. One of Jesus’ last commands was “Raise the dead,” so I know I’m within the bounds of His will to do so (Matthew 10:8). In hope and faith, I spoke life to that body.

The only thing is, she also has a will, and I can only imagine that having experienced the pure presence of Jesus in a completely healed body is something she had no desire to give up. So her earthly body died and was buried, along with part of this mama’s heart that will only be truly whole when I see her again.

Having my girl in heaven is like having one foot in this world and one in the next.

And that is where hope comes in. Because I have come to realize that we humans can barely exist without it. We have to have a hope in someone or something. So each day, and sometimes each moment, we have to find and grasp that hope in order to stay alive.

Romans 8:9-11 says that if I am in Christ, then the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in me and gives life to this mortal body through His Spirit that lives in me.

So that’s where the circle is complete. Because He died, I can choose to die to sin by choosing Him, and because He rose, I can rise and live with His presence in me. In Him I find hope whenever hope dims.

“But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and arose again, so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall be forever with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 MEV)

So, on a Resurrection Sunday in which I formerly found myself with low hope and a hurting heart, I find resurrected hope in my resurrected Savior. This day and every day.