Life often feels out of control. Sickness, death and tragedy are ever present — both in the world at-large and in our individual lives.

It can be difficult to understand how God could be in control amid life’s chaos.  This Easter weekend, we can find a picture of chaos among those who knew Jesus best. We also find a picture of God in control over not just life, but also death.

The men who lived with Jesus, ate with him, watched him perform miracles and those he trusted his church to struggled to see God’s hand during Jesus’ darkest hours.

How could God be in control if Jesus is dead? How could he be the Messiah if they crucify him?

The disciples did not understand what Jesus had spent years teaching them. They saw chaos, death and tragedy, instead of a God in control. They then did what comes natural to all of us during times of struggle — they fled. They ran scared. They questioned God.

Though our individual circumstances may not be as dire, we often see the same thing. We see a child suffering from cancer and question God. We see families torn apart by violence, right here in our communities, and we question God. We see millions starving worldwide, and we question God.

How could he be in control while the world suffers? If the disciples struggled with that question, it’s understandable that we would as well. 

On Good Friday 2,000 years ago, it looked as though God was not in control. Jesus was not only arrested, judged and tortured, he was killed. How could God allow this? How could his own son die? Maybe he is not who he claimed to be.

But God was there, ever in control. That was made abundantly clear Sunday morning when the tomb was found empty. God displayed his power over death, and that’s what Easter celebrates. It’s the resurrection that sets Christianity apart from the world’s religions. It’s the resurrection that proves Christ is who he said he was. Without the resurrection, Jesus is just a teacher or a prophet. Without the resurrection, our faith is meaningless.

The disciples were convinced of God’s perfect control after seeing Jesus alive again. They finally understand. We have that same opportunity today.

Easter is the reminder that we can trust God not only with our lives, but also with our deaths. He is in control.