More Things Broken

 Saturday.  The day after He was crucified and laid in a tomb.  His followers and friends and family all witnessed this.  As we talked about yesterday, I am sure their hearts were broken.  

Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought all hope was lost?  Lost something you thought was irretrievable?  Done something that you thought was irreversible?  Became something you were sure could never change into something better, stronger, holier?  Well, Saturday was, for His disciples, such a day.  They had seen Him heal, bless, restore sight and hearing and health and even life itself.  He had taught them of the Kingdom of God and told them it was here with them.

Now He was gone.  But where had He gone?  

He had gone to break a few more things.

He broke the grave wide open.  "Oh death, where is thy sting?  Oh grave, where is thy victory?"  His followers didn't know it yet, but death would no longer be the end.  Because of Him, all of us will live again.  All of us will be made alive.  He broke the bands of death.

He also broke the gates of hell.  No longer would they open only one way.  Now the inhabitants could learn of Him, develop faith in Him, repent of their sins and have saving ordinances made in their behalf so they could return to their Father and their Heavenly Home.  And don't we all long for home?

Yesterday we mentioned that when He died on the cross, the earth itself broke in places to mourn His suffering.  The veil in His Father's house rent, symbolizing that all, through Jesus, can return to live with our Heavenly Parents again if that is what we wish.

Despair was broken.  Never again would mankind-that includes me, you and even you!-be slaves to death and hell.  He provides the way Home.  To live with each other.  We all have hope because of Him.

"And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise."  Thank you, Moroni, for this reminder.

Some broken things are blessings.  Our broken hearts, because of Him, can be hopeful hearts that lead us to work in faith to learn, grow, serve, rejoice and become.  Because of Him.