Full of fear, the women bowed down to the ground, as the men said to them, “Why are you looking among the dead for one who is alive?” (Luke 24:5)
I looked at Luke’s Easter story from a new-for-me angle this year. I gained an appreciation for the reaction of the women in the tomb upon seeing the two men in bright shining clothes. They bowed to the ground as they heard from the messengers, “He is not here. He has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, be crucified, and three days later rise to life.'” (Luke 24:6-7)
Fear in Scripture is often more related to reverence or awe than fright. The women moved closer to the earth to receive the message that Christ was raised from the dead. With them, we feel humbled in the divine presence (of messengers and messages) and move closer to the earth with reverence. They were overwhelmed in that instant and I wonder if it was a spontaneous reaction with their bodies that allowed them to stay in the present moment and hear what came next.
In a way, they were grounded by divine glory represented by the two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning. It’s like bowing to the ground changed their orientation from expecting to anoint Jesus’ dead body to being summoned to remember, return, and report the news of the Resurrection. This is being grounded in a positive way.
We also use grounded in a negative way. It can be a kind of punishment, you’re grounded! You can’t go anywhere. You’re deprived of privileges. You lose something when you’re grounded this way.
Thankfully, the women were grounded in a way that allowed them to rise and respond with the power and proclamation of the Resurrection.
Being grounded by God’s glory is affirmed by Paul in word and action in these eloquent ways:
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called–his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:18).
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong (Ephesians 3:14-17).
May we remember the power of physical expressions of reverence and awe in the presence of God’s glory. May we be positively grounded in God’s love so we may rise with power to remember, return, and report the news of the Resurrection in our day and time.