“Finding Hope in the Empty Space”

April 5, 2026 Daily Devotional: “Finding Hope in the Empty Space”Luke 24:5-6 ​"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"​The empty tomb is a profound symbol of unfinished stories being rewritten. We often find ourselves standing in the "gardens" of our lives—places where weexpected growth but encountered loss, or where we planned for one path but were re-routed by circumstance. Easter is more than a historical marker; it is the ultimate narrative of transformation. It reminds us that no matter how long the "Saturday" of waiting feels, the dawn is inevitable. ​The angels’ question to the women at the tomb is a gentle challenge for us today: Are we looking for life in the places where it used to be? We often spend a lot of our emotional energy excavating the past. We revisit old failures, linger in "what ifs," or stay parked in seasons of grief, much like the women who approached Jesus’ tomb that Sunday morning. They weren't beingfaithless; they were being practical. They had spices in hand, ready to perform the last act of love for a dead friend. Sometimes, we look for our purpose in past roles, or our joy in old rhythms that no longer serve us. Easter invites us to lift our eyes. It tells us that silence is not absence in the quiet of the tomb was not the end; it was the preparation for the greatest breakthrough in history. It tells us that scars have purpose, even the risen Christ kept his scars. They didn't represent defeat; they represented a victory that had been through the fire. It tells us that new life is adaptive, just as the seasons shift, our lives have cycles of pruning and blooming. Easter is the promise that the "blooming" is a certaintyfor those who wait with hope. Where in my life am I looking for "the living among the dead", clinging to a past version of myself rather than embracing the new growth ahead? How can I view my current "waiting period" as a preparation for a renewal Icannot yet see?​  Today, identify one "dead thing" you’ve been dwelling on; a past mistake, a grudge, or a disappointment. Intentionally hand it over to God and ask Him to show you where He is working in your present instead. May you find peace in the promise of the empty tomb today. May your burdens feel lighter knowing that restoration is always possible, and may you walk into this new season with the confidence that the best parts of yourstory are still being written.