But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body.     Luke 24 : 1 - 3

Reading for this week : Luke 24 : 1 – 12

Thought for the week

Sometimes in our lives we long for the chance to reinvent ourselves. Either we go for more education, or we choose that crash diet and exercise, or maybe we hope for a large sum of money which will enable us to be the person we were always meant to be.

In our Bible stories today, we see God pushing back the boundaries of what we think is possible. Before Peter goes to see Cornelius, he doesn’t think it’s possible for Gentiles to become Christians, but God proves otherwise and changes how the new Christian church sees itself. When the women went to Jesus' tomb, they still thought that death was forever and that evil had triumphed. But God had raised Jesus from the dead, and now our understanding of ourselves and our future is utterly transformed.

Whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, Jesus offers us a fresh start in life, the chance to reinvent ourselves. He offers us hope in place of despair, renewal on the inside and the outside, new possibilities for a faithful life. So whatever dreams God has put into your heart, here is the right place to start, and now is the right time to begin.

A Prayer for this week

God of glory,

by the raising of your Son

you have broken the chains of death and hell:

fill your Church with faith and hope;

for a new day has dawned

and the way to life stands open

in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen