What Now?

Do you ever wonder what happened with the disciples after Jesus rose from the dead? Not right after the resurrection because we see that they interacted with the risen Christ in different ways and places (I Corinthians 15:3-7; Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24; John 20 & 21). Not 50 days later as Pentecost occured because we have that incredible and exciting story in Acts 2 (and the growth of the early church through the rest of the book of Acts). I mean with each man and women that just experienced following Jesus as teacher and leader and now having witnessed, experienced,.... and being thrown head-long into... the death and resurrection of Jesus!
What were they feeling as they went to bed at night? What were their emotions as they contemplated what it meant to "wait for the promise", "go into all the world", or "feed my sheep"?
Did Thomas have little doubts come up in this interim period between resurrection visits and Holy Spirit filling? Did Peter kick himself for denying Jesus with the benefit of hindsight? Did John build on a mother-in-law suite for Mary in obedience to Jesus request to care for His mother?
Have you had those moments where you have just experienced something incredible from God but you can't quite fully explain it? Have you just celebrated the risen savior but you find yourself back in your cubicle of life wondering how this all fits together?
Well, we have the benefit of the disciples hindsight. We know what happens as the story unfolds. Because we have this insight we can deal with the "day after" in victory. We have the benefit of knowing how to live this resurrected life that extends beyond an annual trek to church and family lunches and egg hunts.
Today, the day after "the big day", resolve to live the resurrected Christ through every thing you do and say. This is a commitment to living out Romans 10:9 "...confess with you mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved." This is not a single isolated event but an ongoing confessing from our mouth, an ongoing making Him Lord, an ongoing believing that God became man and died for our sins and has risen from the dead! This is Monday morning stuff!
What about you? do you have Easter Celebration hangover? Do you feel like you are in the "interim" between Resurrection and Pentecost? How do you confess and believe 24/7/365 rather than just once a year or even just on Sundays?

*A tool that may help you live this resurrected life are the daily devotions based on the Sermons at Orange Friends Church. You can find these at http://www.orangefriendschurch.org/devotions.html