Reason #816
"Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside." - Mark 16:2-4
They walked to the tomb with the expectation to find Him. Two days earlier, the most devastating experience had happened, but they got up early and the walked towards Jesus. They went with their spices and full intentions to prepare His sacrificed body so that He could be properly buried as He deserved.
I'm sure, like all women, as they walked, they began to flesh out the last few days. I am sure they talked and talked and talked, just trying to make sense of it all. And as they talked, they realized an obstacle was ahead of them. They weren't fully prepared to encounter Jesus in the way they were expecting. All of the sudden, they realized that a heavy stone stood between them and their Savior, and they wondered how they would move it. How were these three women, who probably weighed a fraction of that stone, going to roll it away from the tomb so they could get to Him? This was, indeed, going to be an issue for which they had no solution, but they kept on walking towards Him.
Heavy hearts, hearts fill with doubt and discouragement, but they kept on walking. Obstacles threatened to keep them from their Savior, but they didn't turn around. The realization that they weren't prepared to encounter Jesus was apparent, yet that still didn't stop them. Because something was drawing them to that tomb. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was dedication, maybe it was because this was how they could finally find some closure. And so they stayed on course, uncertain of how, or even if, things were going to work out, and because of their faithfulness to continue to seek Jesus regardless of the circumstances, they were about to encounter the biggest miracle of their lives.
What if they had turned around? What if they had seen the stone as too big of an obstacle and gone back home? What if they had decided that they were too exhausted, too depressed to get out of bed that morning and seek Jesus? What if these women would have let disappointment, fear, doubt, and sorrow keep them away from that tomb? Jesus would have still come back, no doubt. But these women would have missed an incredible, divine encounter. They would have missed out on being the first ones who heard the good news. And because of their hearts, because of their dedication to serve Jesus in death and in life, I fully believe that God rewarded their faithfulness by allowing them to be the first ones to be filled with joy at the news that Jesus was, in fact, alive!
You see, sometimes it's hard to walk to the tomb. Sometimes, we don't know what we'll find when we get there. We have an idea, and even then that doesn't make it any easier. Sometimes, the walk is hard and depressing and completely gut-wrenching. But when we make that walk, we find Jesus. Every time, when we seek Him, we find Him. And notice that God is faithful to remove our obstacles. He will roll away any stone that threatens to keep us from Him if we are diligent to walk towards Him rather than turn back around when it seems impossibly hard. Because life is hard. Life is not fair. Sometimes life deals you a hand you'd rather not hold, but that's okay. Jesus waits for you, and so you wake up, you get out of bed, and you walk towards Him in the full assurance that whether it be life, or death, you will find Him.
#816 - Because miracles await at the tomb.
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! - Mark 16:5-6
They walked to the tomb with the expectation to find Him. Two days earlier, the most devastating experience had happened, but they got up early and the walked towards Jesus. They went with their spices and full intentions to prepare His sacrificed body so that He could be properly buried as He deserved.
I'm sure, like all women, as they walked, they began to flesh out the last few days. I am sure they talked and talked and talked, just trying to make sense of it all. And as they talked, they realized an obstacle was ahead of them. They weren't fully prepared to encounter Jesus in the way they were expecting. All of the sudden, they realized that a heavy stone stood between them and their Savior, and they wondered how they would move it. How were these three women, who probably weighed a fraction of that stone, going to roll it away from the tomb so they could get to Him? This was, indeed, going to be an issue for which they had no solution, but they kept on walking towards Him.
Heavy hearts, hearts fill with doubt and discouragement, but they kept on walking. Obstacles threatened to keep them from their Savior, but they didn't turn around. The realization that they weren't prepared to encounter Jesus was apparent, yet that still didn't stop them. Because something was drawing them to that tomb. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was dedication, maybe it was because this was how they could finally find some closure. And so they stayed on course, uncertain of how, or even if, things were going to work out, and because of their faithfulness to continue to seek Jesus regardless of the circumstances, they were about to encounter the biggest miracle of their lives.
What if they had turned around? What if they had seen the stone as too big of an obstacle and gone back home? What if they had decided that they were too exhausted, too depressed to get out of bed that morning and seek Jesus? What if these women would have let disappointment, fear, doubt, and sorrow keep them away from that tomb? Jesus would have still come back, no doubt. But these women would have missed an incredible, divine encounter. They would have missed out on being the first ones who heard the good news. And because of their hearts, because of their dedication to serve Jesus in death and in life, I fully believe that God rewarded their faithfulness by allowing them to be the first ones to be filled with joy at the news that Jesus was, in fact, alive!
You see, sometimes it's hard to walk to the tomb. Sometimes, we don't know what we'll find when we get there. We have an idea, and even then that doesn't make it any easier. Sometimes, the walk is hard and depressing and completely gut-wrenching. But when we make that walk, we find Jesus. Every time, when we seek Him, we find Him. And notice that God is faithful to remove our obstacles. He will roll away any stone that threatens to keep us from Him if we are diligent to walk towards Him rather than turn back around when it seems impossibly hard. Because life is hard. Life is not fair. Sometimes life deals you a hand you'd rather not hold, but that's okay. Jesus waits for you, and so you wake up, you get out of bed, and you walk towards Him in the full assurance that whether it be life, or death, you will find Him.
#816 - Because miracles await at the tomb.
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! - Mark 16:5-6