And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
It is sunrise. The first day of the week.
The women, with their precious spices, head to the tomb of their beloved Lord.
Weeping. Sharing their grief. Perhaps, apprehensive and fearful of seeing once more the broken and bloodied body of Jesus. Or, maybe, longing to gaze again at the Master's face, though still and lifeless.
To bathe Him with their tears. To lovingly anoint His body. To give Him one last gift before His tomb is sealed forever.
And, He is no more.
Whether it is their immense sorrow or sleepless nights, we cannot know.
Know why they would not think or prepare for this dilemma.
Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?
A monumental obstacle. An insurmountable problem.
Standing solidly between them and their mission.
What should they do? Do they stop and discuss their options? Argue over whether to go back to get help? Or, should they proceed to their destination?
They decide.
They press on. In faith. Obstacle or no obstacle.
Do not look back. Move forward in hope.
And, then, the miraculous . . .
When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. (Mark 16:4)
Moved. Removed. By the mighty hand of God.
~
Are there obstacles in your life that are preventing you from moving forward?
Will you join me in prayer?
When we face obstacles along life's journey, Father, may we trust You to show us how to move forward in faith. Let us see our roadblocks not as hindrances, but as opportunities to learn and grow in the Spirit. Help us to seek Your will for us in all that we do. Amen.
Readings
Psalms 93, 98 or 66
Exodus 12:14-21
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Mark 16:1-8
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DeleteOn the same page again, Martha. My column today and my column Wednesday skirt the issue of obstacles and how we face them.
ReplyDelete--
Chris
Oh, wow, Chris! I can't wait to read them!
DeleteThanks so much for stopping by!
I have so often been blessed with the removal of obstacles when I pressed on in faith and walked in trust! Thank you for reminding me to be grateful for that, Martha.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you here, Corinne, as always!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how obstacles we once thought of as insurmountable disintegrate when we DO decide to move forward in faith? So glad to know you are grateful for that today!
Blessings!
Faith is the only road to Peace <3
ReplyDeleteYes, Nikky, truly, truly it is!
DeleteThanks so much for stopping by today. :)
Blessings!
This whole week holds such a special energy for the whole world. I woke up this morning feeling lighter, brighter and more optimistic than I have felt in a while. These collective, loving energies are combining to brighten the day for all of us. And that large stone, heavy and immovable to the naked eye, can be and is shifted for many.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you, Martha. <3
- Dawn
Yes, Dawn, I sense that energy, too! I woke up feeling so rested, revived, and ready for whatever the day had in store.
DeleteLet us pray that many stones have been rolled away from hardened hearts this Easter!
Thanks so much for coming by today!
Blessings!
the passage that you chose and your reflections are so timely and wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWho would roll the stone for us? It truly seems like such a heavy task that we couldn't do it ourselves.
Obtacles would be my inordinate attachments and sins that may pull me away from the Lord.
I rest my mind and my heart to the Lord who knows everything that we ever need.
You are right, Melissa - we can't always move those obstacles of sin and attachments which separate us from God, but He can when we pray and turn to Him for help. He is there for us and with us always. Alleluia!
DeleteSo glad you stopped by today with your always thoughtful comments.
Blessings!
Oh what beautiful and timely reflection, Martha! God removes the obstacles for us, as long as we believe in Him! Just like what they always say, "Faith can move mountains." Thanks so much for this beautiful post, Martha! I needed to be reminded of this. God bless! :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, Irene, faith can move those mountains in our way. When we rely on ourselves is when we get mired down in the "can't", not the "can" with God's help.
DeleteSo glad you liked the post and thank you so much for stopping by!
Blessings!
How timely is this devotion Martha! I am thinking about our brief conversation of Fb last night and this put things into perspective for me. I shouldn`t be looking at the rock in front of me but what lies beyond! Thank you Martha and hope you had a beautiful and blessed Easter!
ReplyDeleteOh, Nelieta, I love what you say here - not looking at the rock, but what is beyond it. We do get stuck sometimes, don't we? Stuck in our false suppositions that we can do things ourselves when, in reality, it is through Christ we can accomplish all things.
DeleteThank you for stopping by and, yes, we had a wonderful Easter! Hope yours was splendid as well!
Blessings!
Roadblocks? Obstacles? I see lots of those things. If I didn't see the spiritual alongside the material I'd be in such trouble. There really so little reason to think that things will work out any way that could be considered good - without my faith...well, I don't even want to think about it. I always heart reading you Martha - but try not to hit so close to home next time ok? :)
ReplyDeleteI'll try, Craig, really, I will. I so appreciate your visit today and, as always, your insight.
DeleteI've seen those roadblocks, too. Banging my head senselessly against them. Too many times.
It is only by faith, knowing God will see us through, will open the door for us, that sees us through.
Blessings!
My dear Martha,
ReplyDeleteYou are so deep and inspiring. I am sure you touch more hearts than you know. Blessings to you my friend.
Thanks so much, Andy, for your kind words and for stopping by today. If I'm touching hearts for God, that is the greatest reward I could ever have.
DeleteBlessings!
Thanks for the reminder, Martha, that when the obstacles seem so big for us to remove, it is God Himself who moves it away for us.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Joyce! We may not see clearly at the time, but we can ever trust in Him to roll the heaviest stones away from our progress and remove the mountains that stand in our way.
DeleteThanks so much for dropping in today!
Blessings!
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