It’s an After-Resurrection Sunday Monday Morning in a Covid-19 Isolation life-style. We’ve celebrated Jesus rising from the dead, removing the veil that separated us from His Father. About 2,000 years ago, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna (Joanna, wife of Chuza, a steward in Herod’s household, who had been healed by Jesus), Salome (the wife of Zebedee, mother of James and John, possible the sister of Mary) – these women set out early Sunday morning to Christ’s tomb. Instead of finding hopelessness and death, they found resurrection hope.

We need to take that Resurrection Hope into a post-resurrection Monday morning challenge, like Jesus’ friends did. Life had radically changed from Friday to Sunday on that first Easter – and Monday morning Jesus’ followers and friends probably woke wondering what to do about it all, how to live it all out, how to wrap their brains around “the impossible” that was suddenly possible.

Jesus tells them,

Jesus said, “You’re holding on to me for dear life!
Don’t be frightened like that.
Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee,
and that I’ll meet them there” (Matthew 28:10).

“Meet me in Galilee” is like a song I can’t get out of my head.

Meet me in Galilee
those who came to the tomb were told.

Meet me in Galilee
he said – and tell our friends

Meet me in Galilee
Don’t despair – all is not lost – it’s all been won

Meet me in Galilee
there is so much more

Meet me in Galilee
it’s just the beginning.

Meet me in Galilee is where he is,
and anytime I draw close, he is there.

He meets all of us where we are right now, even in isolation. He meets me in the overcast moments, whether I’m bent over coughing my insides out, whether I’m shivering on the side of a soccer field, or too weak to climb higher on a misty mountain, whether I’m isolated in a pandemic or in the middle of trying to get a loved ones fever down, or cannot find what I need at the grocery store..

He meets me in the wait of a prayer sent out, in a good-news moment, in the freeze of a teen grump, even the pile of unmatched socks.

He meets me in my gracelessness, when I’m steeped in a give-up minute, when I’ve lost my direction (not my faith – just the direction).

Not only does he meet us, but he encourages us that there is so much more in this journey – so much more to this living with him in it that will amaze, humble, fire up with his love for you and me, a love that needs to be shared and given to others.

Where’s he meeting you today? Where’s your Galilee?

It’s a Post-Resurrection Sunday Monday in the middle of a Covid-19 Isolation. Meet me in Galilee, he says. Friend, won’t you meet him in Galilee, too. That’s one gathering Isolation and Quarantines cannot stop.