Who will roll the stone away?

Today, I thought I’d share a passage of scripture that never fails to encourage me… in the hope that it might encourage you, too.

In Mark 15:40-41 we learn that some of the women who’d followed Jesus and cared for his needs were present at his crucifixion, including Mary Magdalene and Mary (the mother of James and Salome).

Later, in Mark 16:1, we catch up with the two women again. “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus body.” Anointing a dead body wasn’t about embalming, which wasn’t practiced by the Jews. Anointing was about respect, love, devotion. They were going to the tomb because they felt called to care for Him, as they had done when He was alive. Clearly, they did not expect His resurrection. But they were still loyal. Still intent on serving Him.

“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?'” Mark 16:2

Excellent question, right?

The stone likely weighed 1-2 tons and rested in a depression that kept it in place. Not to mention, we know that the tomb was guarded. How were these two women going to roll the stone away so they could accomplish their task? Given the magnitude of this obstacle and my practical nature, I suspect I might have said, “No one will roll the stone away. We can’t get to Him. We might as well turn back.” I like to receive answers to my “How is this going to work?” questions before I proceed.

The women received no answers. Only doubt and uncertainty. Even so, despite the enormity of the challenge, they continued forward in obedience. And this is what they found….

“…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 alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. 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.” Mark 16:4-7

Because of the women’s faithfulness, they were given the tremendous honor (recorded centuries later in scripture) of entering Jesus’s empty tomb and interacting with an angel.

Matthew 28:8-9 tells us, “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.”

They were the first to see and experience the risen Christ.

Oh, the grace Jesus showed these two women!

My takeaways from the passages:

I won’t always receive an explanation of “how”. My task is simply to follow what I hear Him calling me to do, regardless of my doubt or the perceived obstacles.What He reveals to us about our goal might not display the full picture. The women thought their goal was to anoint His dead body. Because they set out to do that, they instead found themselves clasping the feet of his resurrected body. His plans surpassed their own.He didn’t make a way for them to accomplish their task before they left the place where they were staying. They had to go and do in order to realize His will. My job is to release to God the things only He can do… like the rolling of stones.

The women asked, “Who will roll the stone away?”

In the end, God’s answer was, I will.

Let’s keep showing up with our spices, ladies. When we face obstacles in the path of our calling and cry out, “Who will roll this stone away?” may we continually trust Him enough to hear the answer.

I will.