But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away form the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24: 1-3, NLT)

Standing at a distance, the women had seen His body pierced, had heard perhaps His final “Father . . .” Felt the shake of earth as the storm raged. They couldn’t rush up to His body, arms outstretched; help the men take Him down from the rough stake; tenderly anoint Him for burial. Joseph could do that though – and so, they’d seen Joseph take the body, place it in the tomb and stand aside while the soldiers shouldered the stone into place. Then they’d had to leave, to observe Sabbath.

But.

Despite what they’d seen and heard, despite the finality and weight of that stone, they had returned, carrying spices, ready to anoint His body. They didn’t know how they’d be able to do that – just to move the stone would be a miracle in itself – yet they’d come.

And together . . . they felt the first wisp of wonder curl around them in the morning air, drifting out of the hole’s opening. Where was the stone? Where was His body?

“But” is a resurrection word.

On this Easter Sunday, what stone has God already rolled away . . . so that you may move forward, with your sisters in Christ, boldy, gladly, prepared to do the work, however heart-breaking, that only you can do?

May your Easter be rich with the blessing of a risen Saviour’s presence.

By Renee James