Humility as We Face di Resurrection

April 5, 2021
Monday for di Octave of Easter
Readings for Today

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Di chief priests gather with di elders and discuss together; then dem give di soldiers plenty money, tell dem say, “Make una talk say, ‘Im disciples come for night come steal am while we dey sleep.’ And if di governor hear about this matter, we go settle am and make sure say una no enter trouble.” Matthew 28:12–14

Di Lord of all rise from di grave, defeat sin and death, and make am possible for all of us to share for Im glorious Resurrection! Death don lose. Satan don lose. Di religious leaders wey dey corrupt don lose. And all those wey believe in Jesus come get fresh hope for eternal life. But sadly, di chief priests and di elders of di people no fit accept this victory wey pass every other victory wey human beings don ever know, di victory wey open di doors of eternal glory for everybody wey believe. Na dem arrange make E die, and now wey E don rise, dem rush dey do everything wey dem fit do to hide that truth.

Pride hard to overcome. When person insist say e dey right, when e actually dey wrong, and dem come show am im mistake, di sin of pride go surely tempt am to commit more sin. Na this we see today for this passage from our Gospel. Di soldiers tell di chief priests and elders say, when di women come di tomb early for morning, one big earthquake happen, and dem see one angel of di Lord come down from Heaven, roll di stone comot, and sit down on top am. When dem see this, “Fear of am make di guards shake, and dem come be like dead men” (Matthew 28:4). And after dem hear di angel tell di women say Jesus don rise, di guards go tell di chief priests and elders.

After all di miracles and powerful preaching of Jesus, you for think say di chief priests and elders for don believe. But dem no believe. Then, after dem hear wetin these soldiers testify, you for think say dem for don kneel down, repent of their hard hearts, and come believe. But dem no do so. Dem hold their sin even tighter and add sin join sin.

Some kinds of sin dey easier to admit, especially sins wey come from weakness. When person dey weak and fall into sin, e fit no always easy to overcome that sin for future, but e dey easier to admit say na sin when na human weakness cause am. But sin wey come from weakness different well-well from sin wey come from stubborn pride. Stubborn pride no just hard to overcome; e hard to admit too. E hard to admit our sin when na our stubbornness and pride cause am. Because of this, this kind sin dey often lead to other sins, like to continue to deceive people, to control people with cunning, and to vex. We see this for these chief priests and elders. But if you fit humble yourself and admit your sin when e come from your pride, that humility fit get power to change your life well-well.

Today, reflect on these chief priests and elders of di people. Try think deeply about their hard hearts and di sad condition wey dem find themselves as dem try cover their mistake and sin. Make up your mind say you no go ever fall into this kind sin. But if na something wey you dey struggle with, seek humility so that, through di grace of our Lord Resurrection, you fit dey free from this heavy load.

My Lord wey don rise from death, You defeat sin and death and bring new life for everybody wey believe in You. Dear Jesus, give me di grace make I never allow my sin of pride stop me from opening myself to di glorious work wey You want do to change my life. Abeg, give me di gift of humility so that I go always turn away from my sin and turn to You. Jesus, na You I trust.

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