Jul 23, 2025
I recently listened to a podcast and the phrase ‘the third day’ popped out at me. I’ve sat
with it a bit, talked to God a bit and journaled a bit. Why did this make such a
connection?
It’s just a few words; a phrase I’ve heard and read so many times. Why now? I think I
know since it’s happened before so many times before. Something that’s so familiar
that I don’t really hear or see it until this time. Now.
As ‘the third day’ rolled around in my head and stretched down to my heart, life in my
past started to march through and I was invited to consider from this vantage point
some events and circumstances that I’d never really explored before. To consider the
“what and the whys” with a wisdom I didn’t have at the time of the events but have
gained, am gaining, as I make this journey.
“On the third day, He rose again.” 1 Corinthians 15:4; Paul’s core statement about
Jesus’ resurrection. This triggered in me the question, ‘what and when was my third
day’? When did I rise from the death state of living in sin, outside of a true
understanding of what God had created me for? What were the lies of my life that had
been my burial wraps, binding me tightly in the tomb of existence but not really living?
I have had several ‘third days’ since I am in the process of becoming. ‘Becoming’ is a
word that seems to fit the journey I have been on all my life. My belief is that we are all
designed and gifted with talents and charisms before we are planted in our mother’s
womb. Gifts and talents to be used to further the kingdom of God. And God definitely
desires that we use those gifts and talents; desires, not demands. One of my
instructors offered a diagram that I have shared to denote the path of our life and the
wandering away from the path that our journey sometimes makes.
I’ve noticed that no matter how far I wandered off, God always brought me back to his
design and desire for my life. That understanding was one of my ‘third days’, much later
in life.
Each of my wanderings were damaging to me as a human being and to those around
me, who knew me, cared for me and generally wished only the best for me. I don’t know
if any of my friends and family recognized the resurrection that took place as it was
happening, but some did and commented on the change that was becoming evident.
Not all were accompanied by fireworks, in fact, most were simply one step at a time
towards the light and away from the darkness of poor choices and dreadful decisions.
I wrote last month “the wounds of childhood have been transformed into gifts.” Or
perhaps better stated as wounds healed and transformed into channels for the gifts and
talents I believe God to have instilled in me. The recognition of each event and
transformation have become one of my ‘third day’ resurrections. I have been blessed to
recognize that the journey from wounded to healing is truly a resurrection from the
darkness to light. A small rising sometimes but with such promise and joy.
And the best is yet to come. I have no idea how many ‘third days’ I have left to
experience, but each one has contributed to the change within, adding to the surety of
how much I’m loved by God.
What does your ‘third day’ look like?
Become, heal and breathe, let God love you.
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