When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.
Mark 16: 1-4, ESV
My family travels a complicated journey filled with obstacles and challenges—probably just like you right? Some of these situations are so big, they seem immovable yet in the midst of it all I catch myself trying to manage, control and preserve "normal" life. Very funny, really. God keeps sending me to Mark 16. I think he's talking to me about stones and spices.
Spending time preparing to preserve
I love Jesus and trust him. I really do. I want to live my life for him! Yet, when things get complicated I look down at my circumstances and start preparing "the spices"—doing what I can to take care of things. The smart thing to do would be to look to Jesus and trust him, really trust him, to work thing out for my good and his glory.
My desire is to honor Jesus so why do I try so hard to keep things going and staying normal? My life is not normal. As a family, we are dealing with issues of drug addiction. The pull on us is to get (or stay) on the crazy bus with the addict. Often I'm rushing around trying to keep things normal. Can I just say, "It's not NORMAL around here!"
Jesus just asks me to do what I can, that what HE leads me to do. No more.
Worrying about immovable objects
The women had done what they could, they prepared the spices to honor Jesus and prepare his body. Then they worried, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” We worry about the stones in our lives. I worry about the big stones. Today, God showed me that I've been asking the question, "Who will roll away the stone of addiction from the entrance of the tomb in my family's life?" There is a person trapped in the darkness of the tomb held by the large stone! And, I keep trying to make the stone go away...sometimes by praying, sometimes by worrying, sometimes by trying to tug on that big ugly thing. It won't budge!
He will roll the stone away
Today, Jesus helped me to see HE is the one who rolls the stone away. The problem isn't his power to roll it away! He's proven that. Do I trust that he'll remove it? Do I really believe he will?
I need to stop worrying then trust and believe Jesus will roll away the stone. God provides the power through his Holy Spirit. His power is available to us. His power is enough to roll away this, and every, stone.
I choose to say, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
What's your stone? How are you dealing with things?
Comments