I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:17-20

    It’s the day after Easter. The company has gone home, or you have returned home from visiting relatives. Yesterday was wild, wonderful, thrilling, exhausting, and over hours ago. Today is Monday. Actually, it’s “Double Monday” — a Monday that leaves us doubly exhausted because of stress, excitement, and extra family of a special weekend. As wonderful as yesterday was, the routine begins again today. There is trash to take out, bills to pay, kids to get to school, cars to get serviced, lawns to mow, quotas to meet, calls to make, beds to make, cleaning to drop off, pets to feed, letters to write, errands to run...

    The list is huge and long and a burden to even suggest. Just a few hours away from celebrating the resurrection of the Lord, you now feel a million light years away from that confidence, joy, and assurance; you are once again caught in the web of the work-a-day world with all its monotony and ruts. What difference does Easter make on Monday when we’re not around the powerful songs, the thoughts of victory over death and expectation of reunion with the Lord and all those who love him?

What difference does Easter make on Monday?

    Sometimes I think it would be helpful if we knew more about what the disciples did on the day after resurrection. But as I search the Scriptures, I just can’t find much of anything about the first Monday after Jesus rose from the dead. What did those disciples do after their “circuits had been fried” and their lives had been rearranged by seeing their Lord alive again? What did they do after seeing him eat fish and showing them his scars? Did they have joy and peace on Monday after the Lord filled them with joy with his presence and comforted them with his “Peace be with you!” in their upper room?

    I don’t know what they did. Maybe they went home and rested as they tried to gather it all in. Maybe they went and told all their friends. Maybe they stayed together and had great celebrations of joy. I’m not sure of much of anything except that at the beginning of Monday evening (remember, in Jewish time, the day begins at sunset), they shared in the celebration with the disciples from Emmaus (see Luke 24). But what happened next?
Did they go fishing?
Did they go home?
Did they sleep and let the Lord refresh them with rest, joy, and dreams of the future?

    We don’t know what they did the day after Easter other than that their lives were never the same... and that their timid and fearful spirits became bold and courageous... and that their unfaithfulness was forgiven... and that they were called to ministry... that this event became as much a part of them as their skin... and that they would never be the same.

    To most folks, today will seem just like any other day. But if we allow it to happen, if we pray for it to be real, today can be the beginning of a new awakening. We can go about our routine and still stay out of the rut because we know our lives have been forever redirected by heaven’s power and Jesus’ abiding presence.

    Don’t let Monday steal away the assurance, encouragement, and hope of Sunday; not this week or any other. The empty tomb is our launching pad for hope, transformation, and victory. So even though this Monday, and even though it looks a lot like last week’s Monday, remember that the Lord isn’t dead! He lives for you! His victory is yours! Today isn’t Monday, it’s the day after Easter, and nothing should ever be the same again.

Title: "The Day After Easter"
Author: Phil Ware
Publication Date: April 16, 2001

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