And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? Mark 16:3
As little children, we often encountered situations that were far beyond our abilities, but we forged ahead, hoping, or knowing, that somebody much bigger than us would be available to help. We did not limit our exploits to those things that were within our own abilities. As a result, we often had help from a parent, another adult, or a team of other children, and we got the job done. It is an approach that we often fail to consider as we reach adulthood. We often see problems that are beyond our abilities, so we admit defeat and suffer failure. We need to be more like the women in today’s text.
At a time when the big, bold disciples were afraid to venture near, these women loaded themselves with sweet spices and bravely trudged toward the sepulchre where their Lord had been buried. They were not concerned about safety or persecution; their only concern was for who would move the stone. And that concern did not stop them from going to the sepulchre. The stone was a huge one, according to the next verse. It was beyond their abilities to move. But they went. There was a task that they knew had to be done, and they were going to carry it through, because somebody would move the stone for them.
God would love to move a stone for you today! He’s just waiting for you to move toward your obstacle. In many cases, you will find that, just as these women found, the stone has already been moved. Their first sight of the sepulchre was of its open door. Their obstacle was gone. As can yours and mine be.
What stone do you need moved? What stands in the way of your achieving something worthwhile for the Lord? What must occur before you can claim a spiritual victory? Have you tried approaching the stone in faith, trusting God Himself to move the stone? Is it not worth a try?
Who moved the stone for Jesus’ faithful followers? Those women probably never found out, nor did it matter. For those who need stones moved, God is still in the stone-moving business! -Jim MacIntosh