And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
In the closing scenes of "The Wizard of Oz", an excited Dorothy, finally revived from the bump on her head, vividly recounts her amazing adventures in that fantastic and fanciful land. The faces of her family and friends lovingly suppress their amusement as she tells her tale. She sees right through them.
"Doesn't anyone believe me?" She asks, exasperated, desperately wanting them to accept her words as truthful.
"Of course, we believe you, Dorothy," Uncle Henry assures her, patronizingly.
Dorothy knows they don't believe a thing she has said.
When we hear news that sounds too good to be true, don't we react much like Uncle Henry, Auntie Em, and the rest of the folks at Dorothy's bedside?
If the tale comes from a child, we may humor them. Play along. Listen patiently. And, dismiss it gently.
However, if it is an adult telling the too-good-to-be-true story, even a person we know to be honest and forthright, don't we doubt? Don't we wonder if our friend, like poor Dorothy, has suffered a nasty bump to the head?
Do we say things like:
"I've never heard of such a thing!"
"That can't possibly be true!"
"Why are you making all this up?"
"Did you really think I'd believe you?"
Words which Mary most likely heard on that day from Jesus' disciples.
The day she saw Him and ran with urgency and joy to tell.
Only to be called into question. Ridiculed. Humiliated.
Because, even if in their heart of hearts, the Lord's followers want to trust her words, they don't.
They can't.
It's simply too good to be true.
They only believe when they see for themselves.
Jesus. The Risen Christ.
The story too good NOT to be true . . .
~
What have you heard that sounded too good to be true, but turned out to be true after all?
Will you join me in prayer?
We thank You, Father, for the life, death, and resurrection of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May we share with others His story, the one that is too good NOT to be true. The story of love and grace, forgiveness and salvation, the world needs to hear and believe. Amen.
Readings
Psalms 103 or 111, 114
Exodus 12:28-39
1 Corinthians 15:12-28
Mark 16:9-20
It happens in daily life if only we open our eyes and realize all the Blessings we are getting.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by, Nikky!
ReplyDeleteYes, our lives are truly filled with miraculous blessings everywhere we turn if we have eyes to see!
Blessings!
Sometime I pinch myself as I cannot believe how fascinating my journey has been.
ReplyDeleteWow, Savira, now that's saying something right there! Here's to a blessed continuance of your marvelous journey!
DeleteThanks so much for coming by.
Blessings!
So true...even we cannot believe some good things happening to us some times. "Too good to be true" it is... Nice post.
ReplyDeleteOh, those too-good-to-be-true moments are priceless, aren't they?
DeleteThanks for stopping by, Janaki!
Blessings!
What a great example, Martha. Just on Easter Sunday, I was having a meal with someone who talked (endlessly!) about things that happened in his life and some of them seemed to be figments of his imagination! I can imagine how people reacted to Mary's story. They must have thought that she was overcome with grief! So glad that Jesus came by to make Mary's story true, just the way He comes by in our daily life to make add meaning to our life-stories.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love what you've said here, Corinne - Jesus coming to us daily just as He appeared to Mary, giving such blessed meaning to our lives' journeys. Wow!
DeleteAnd, that must have been quite the ordeal, listening to someone go on and on and wondering if all could, indeed, be true. What a coincidence between your experience and today's post!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Blessings!
I love this post because we all are such sophisticated, smart skeptical people aren't we? Yet how many simple blessings do we miss because we think it's too good to be true, or too unlikely to have really happened. The Easter story is one that is not only true but life-changing for those who believe. Thanks Martha for such a thoughtful post...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lynne, for stopping by and leaving such a thoughtful comment!
DeleteWe can choose to see the miracles in all of life or miss out on the ride of a lifetime. Yes, Easter IS truer than true and I know my Lord saved this life of mine and causes my light to shine every day.
Blessings to you!
To good to be true??? can't think of anything at the moment, other than I am loved which for me is enough.
ReplyDeleteOh, to love and be loved just as you are, Jan - that is such a blessed gift!
DeleteThanks so much for stopping by!
Blessings to you!
I am a romantic and tend to think all is possible, even when it's too good to be true. I suppose faith comes in all shapes and sizes, and what sounds too good can be as good as we imagine it to be if only....
ReplyDeleteI am a romantic, too, Brenda - a hopeless one! :)
DeleteAnd, yes, faith does come in all shapes and sizes; I have experienced a marvelous growth in my own faith through the writing of these daily devotions. I am so grateful for that!
Thanks so much for coming by!
Blessings to you!
Hmmm, there are things in my own life that occurred and if someone had told me years previous that they would I would have reacted like Dorothy's family as well! This is an great reminder that miracles are still being performed. We need to be discerning, but also open to the positive blessings God has in store. Thanks Martha! :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Tameka, we do need to be open to the miracles all around us, each and every day!
DeleteThanks so much for coming by and please accept my apology for not getting back to you sooner. Somehow, your comment didn't show up on my radar until today. :(
Blessings to you!
It is through 'too-good-to-be-true' stories that I came to know of God's love and prayer. I thank God for giving me a child's heart. I do believe in such :)
ReplyDeleteI pray with you.
What a blessing it is to still have a child-like heart, Melissa. I believe it truly allows us to see the miracles which abound in our lives each day.
DeleteThanks so much for visiting and praying with me.
Blessings always!