Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Not Over Yet" Saturday, 19 April 2014 - Read Luke 24:1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They entered in, and didn’t find the Lord Jesus’ body. 4 While they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing. 5 Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth.
They said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He isn’t here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again?”
8 They remembered his words,
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee . . . went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.--Luke 23:55-56 (NIV)
Jesus had been crucified. His life was over. Women standing nearby watched as his body was removed from the cross and taken away for burial. Then they departed for home. Resolved to honor one last time the man they had followed, they prepared embalming spices and perfumes for the Lord’s body. I try to imagine what the women were feeling. Jesus claimed to be the Christ, yet he died a criminal’s death. Hope surely gave way to confusion and disappointment as their minds cried out, It’s all over. He was not the Messiah. Many times in my life I have stopped believing just short of answered prayer. When God’s answer seemed to be “no,” my optimism would turn to defeated acceptance. But later I would rejoice to discover that what seemed the end of hope was only a delay, a difference between God’s timing and mine. The women who went home to prepare spices and perfumes teach us how to handle times when all seems lost. We can continue in prayer, do what seems right, and trust that at any moment, God may pour out rich blessings on our lives. God raised Jesus from the grave. We are God’s children too. What will God do for us?
The Author: Pat Rowland (Tennessee, USA)
Thought for the Day: Sometimes we hear “no” when God is saying, “Wait.”
Prayer: How you have loved us, dear Lord! Give us faith to trust you more. Amen.
Prayer focus: Church staff preparing for Easter worship
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