Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying.  (Matthew 28:1-6 New English Translation)

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     Have you ever had a day where you had planned how things were going to go, only to have something happen that not only totally upended your plans, but also completely changed your mood?  Sure. We all have. And that's what happened to the women arriving at Jesus' tomb on Resurrection Day.

     They set out for the grave heartbroken. The man they had followed and supported for so long had just been executed in horrible fashion. The last they saw of His battered and bloody body was when some kindly friends had placed Him in a tomb carved out of rock, a tomb then sealed by a heavy, circular stone slab weighing a couple of tons. They had scraped some money together and purchased embalming spices before heading to the tomb to give Jesus' body a proper Jewish burial. Only when they approached the grave did it occur to them they might need help sliding the stone away from the entrance. Suddenly, the earth shook - hard. The ladies were likely knocked off their feet.

     Already frightened, they ran to the tomb and stopped short at the sight of it.  The stone had not only been moved away, but there was an angel sitting on it!  What's more, the soldiers guarding the tomb were lying on the ground unconscious!  Alarmed and bewildered, the angel then spoke words that would alter the course of history. "Jesus isn't here. He has been raised, just as He said."  We can only imagine the emotional overload the ladies experienced in that moment. Sorrow to Joy. Mourning to rejoicing. Fear to hope. Tears of sadness to tears of joy.

     Jesus still does that today. In a moment, He can transform not only our day, but our lives. Scripture tells us that He makes all things new. Give your life to Him today, "Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you."  Let the life-transforming power of Jesus make your life new today. If you would like to have someone to talk to or pray with, reach out to us at Christian Life Center using the contact button at the top of this page.

 

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