Monday, April 5

As you begin this week with God – take a few moments to reflect in prayer on the power and truth you celebrated yesterday – Jesus is risen! Hallelujah, he is risen!

Read the great story again.

Mark 16:1-7
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

"Don’t be afraid," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'"

"Who will roll the stone away?"
The question that was on the grieving women’s minds that morning long ago was natural.
The stone was large. The stone was heavy. The stone was immovable.
Of course, they were talking about the stone that sealed the tomb that held the body of their Lord Jesus. But, perhaps, the stone can be seen to represent more than just a large rock.

Maybe the stone can be seen as the pain, regret or grief that we carry in our own hearts. I believe that every human being carries an invisible “backpack” with them through life. In that backpack are “stones” – pains of different shapes and sizes. Some of the stones we put in the backpack ourselves through our own choices. Some of the stones are put into our backpack by others – intentionally or unintentionally – and often by people that we love. Like the stone the women anticipated facing that day – the stones of our hearts are also large, heavy and seemingly immovable. And we drag them with us throughout our lives – assuming that we must.

But notice that when the women get to the tomb the stone has already been rolled away. That which they feared; that which they believed to be immovable; that which stood as a barrier between themselves and Jesus – had already been removed!

The same is true for us today. Because Jesus is alive, because he has the power to defeat death itself, he also has the power and authority to move the stones of our hearts.

What weight do you carry with you today that Jesus would like to remove?

Spend a few moments in prayer – ask him to show you the “stones” that you carry with you that he would like to carry for you!

Brian Coffey