A Tale of Three Women
Long ago, on the other side of the world, there were three women who had a friend who had been murdered. Early one morning, soon after he was killed, they took some aromatic spices and went to his graveside. As they walked into the garden where he was interred, they could not have known – on that seemingly insignificant day – that they were about to witness the greatest event in history. This event was so significant that it would shake the whole world, and eventually every person who ever lived would come face to face with its significance.
Wanting to anoint their friend’s body, the women were downcast when they saw that a huge stone had been placed across the man’s tomb. It was clearly too large for the three of them to push aside. As they began to discuss what to do, the pre-dawn hush was suddenly broken as a violent earthquake shook the ground beneath their feet. Imagine their fright when, on the heels of the earthquake, an angel appeared. “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow”, and, to their dumfounded amazement he quite easily rolled back the stone and sat on it. “Do not be afraid”, the angel said, “for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said” (Matthew 28:1-6).
It was not for Christ in His resurrected body that the stone needed to be rolled away. It was for the women, so that they could see the empty tomb. It was those women who would be the first to share the good – the amazing – news: Jesus Christ had risen from the dead.
God’s heart is to remove whatever “stones” that keep us from seeing and receiving the eternal benefit of Christ’s death and resurrection. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts (Hebrews 4:7). God says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” Ezekiel 36:26.
Just as Jesus walked out of that tomb in resurrection life, God wants to roll away the stone from your heart and give you new life – today, and every day.
