Rolling Stones
I’m a morning person. I love the quiet stillness that you can see and feel before the world starts it’s hurried pace. When I’m home, I take a moment and look out the window at the sleeping neighborhood. Often a few street lights are still softly glowing which adds to the peacefulness. Who knows what the day will bring.
When I’m at our weekend home, I often sit by the river and listen to the birds as I watch the sunrise. The sky comes alive with color and light as the day begins. This view is especially beautiful on run days because I get full view of the changing scene as I run towards the sunrise.
For the ladies mentioned in Mark 16: 1-3 they too were early risers and their day would bring opportunities to put their faith into action. “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
Do you see that faith in action? They are on the move, headed towards the tomb with purpose even though a huge obstacle was in the way. The stone. It was far too heavy for these women to roll aside, but who knew what the day would bring. God knew. He knew that day was going to be a day of miracles. A day of rolling away stones.
He knew that those women had a heart to serve their Lord. He knew that they would be rise up early in the morning, prepared and ready to go. The Lord wanted them there at the tomb. He had chosen them to be His witnesses of the resurrection and you can see why. They didn’t make excuses or allow the many obstacles they encountered to stop them. They stepped out in faith and God blessed them with the greatest news the world has ever received.
When they arrived at the tomb they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. The first obstacle had already been rolled away by God before they arrived. In Matthew 28:2 it reads, “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.” Problem solved by God.
“As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.” Their next obstacle was being afraid. That would have been quite a sight seeing an angel and hearing, “Don’t be afraid. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go; tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
The word says that they were trembling and bewildered and fled from the tomb. These women were probably anxious to be gone, but to tell the others and Peter, that would be another obstacle. They would have to face the doubt and unbelief of others to the message they shared.
“Mary Magdalene, the former demoniac, led the way. Isn’t that just like our Lord? To entrust the least likely? To promote the least popular? To put to good use those who’ve weathered a bad season?” (The Women of Easter). God rolled away the obstacle of her past and was giving her the honor of being the first to see Him and share the news. God is so good!
Mary hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Her message to the disciples was, “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18)
God rolled away the stone at the tomb but He also rolled away the stones of fear, doubt, unbelief and her past. He had a plan and purpose which she fulfilled with passion for her Savior.
Who knows what our day will bring. But we can rest assured that God has already rolled away stones in our paths. We can step out in faith that He has everything under control and no matter what obstacles arise; He has already taken care of them. Our only response should be to Go! He knows our hearts and He has called us to declare the same message, “He is Risen!”
My prayer
Father, thank you for letting us be a part of declaring the Good News! Help us to step out in faith and believe that You will roll away every stone in our path and that You have called us to this time and this purpose. As we watch a sunrise, help us to remember that blessed morning that You rose from the grave. You changed the world and no matter what a day may bring, we have a Savior that conquered the grave. In Jesus name, amen.
Where does my help come from?
“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16: 15-18)