he isn't here..

This morning I found myself stupidly staring at Facebook. I was on Drew's profile, just purposelessly looking. Even though he passed away a few months ago, Facebook still declared to the world today that it's his birthday. I've wished him happy birthday every year for the last 14 years, actually in person before Facebook, imagine that. So naturally I thought I'd just write a typical "happy birthday drewy poo" on his wall anyway. Then I thought, as much as this might make me feel better right now, birthdays probably aren't relevant where he is. So instead I sat there just thinking about how he surrendered himself to God before he died, and how awesome that is. And I tried to think from an eternal perspective instead of an earthly one filled with Facebook and birthdays and tears. When I finally snapped out of it and stopped staring at my laptop, I thought of this story from the Bible.

Days after Jesus had died, Matthew 28 tells us Jesus' dear friends "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb". Both Marys loved him and watched him suffer and die, they were there when he was buried, but now they are going back to look, not at a person, just a tomb. I could imagine them not knowing what to do, they were thinking about him constantly and wanted to feel close to him, so the best idea they could come up with was to just go and look. At first they were staring at a sealed tomb, but then "an angel of the Lord came down from Heaven" and said, "“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." 

Drew's not here. And as much silly comfort as it gives me (and maybe you) to stare at his Facebook, just like Jesus' friends stared at His tomb, he isn't there. He isn't on this Earth, he isn't on Facebook. He is remembered in our hearts, but he has risen, just as God said. He is not here; he's with God, and that's an awesome birthday. Miss you friend.