What seemed like the end of the story became a day like no other

By Dean Collins

When you finish a good book or movie you might have various thoughts and emotions. You might sigh because the book was so good you hate for it to end. Occasionally you have the self-discipline to endure to the end of a movie or book only because you hate to leave anything unfinished. But when it’s over, you might have relief that it’s done, or regret that you invested so much time with such little payoff. And then there is the book or movie that creates the likelihood or hope of a sequel. I have a love/hate relationship with the series cliffhangers when you don’t yet know if there will be a next season!

Many of the same thoughts and emotions arise at the end of certain chapters in life. There are the seasons when children are grown and leave for college or work and you have a sense of satisfaction. And you might have some sadness that your child-rearing chapter is over. Some sigh with relief, and others immediately hope for grandchildren who will allow them to relive some of their favorite moments again with the next generation.

Work careers have chapters that open and close as well. Some jobs end because one’s work or interest in that work is finished. Sometimes things end because a business was bought or sold or closes. Sometimes the leader of an organization leaves and things are so different you have no interest in staying. Sometimes God just prompts a new thing in your spirit or opens the door to a path you must pursue.

A chapter closed?

On the day after Jesus died, it seems that those closest to Jesus believed a two- or three-year chapter of their lives was over. The disciples would have memories of wonder and love being with Jesus. And there would be sadness of what might have been different if only…. Grief was beginning, but the Sabbath had interrupted their closure. This was especially true for the women who were both close to Jesus in life but also had a sense of responsibility about the proper way to place the deceased at rest.

We know from the four Gospel accounts that the women around Jesus watched as the body of Jesus was removed from the cross. They knew where it was placed. We also know that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were involved in requesting the body be placed in the tomb. And we know that when the body was placed in the tomb, a large stone was rolled over the opening.

Mark tells us something that Matthew does not: On the way to attend to the body in the tomb, they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”

A day like the others?

When Saturday ended, Mary, Mary the mother of James, and Salome made preparations for the new day they believed would come just as every other day arrives. But one thing was different: they didn’t expect the dawn of the new day to include an empty tomb and a resurrected Jesus! They expected to take a step of closure that was predictable and filled with sadness before they would move on with life without Jesus.

What would it take to for us to realize when we go to bed each evening and end our day that the dawn of a new day might bring little and small tasks from the resurrected Jesus for us to do? And what if we saw the possibility that our obedience could result in a complete transformation of someone’s life?

Maybe today as we pray and prepare for the new day just a few minutes or hours old, we should declare the renewal of God’s love being poured out in us today. And maybe we can understand that Jesus is fully alive in this day and that he might use us to share a word of hope, a word of life, and a word of gratitude to someone around us.

Maybe we can understand how Jesus might use us.

I suspect with such a realization, someone’s heart that is empty might just come to see and know the love of Jesus and experience a resurrection in their life and circumstances today.

What seemed like the beginnings of an ordinary day might just be a day of victory in us, in those around us, in our places of work, in our homes, and in our relationships.

Lord, today we greet you filled with gratitude that your steadfast love continues to flow on us and on all of your creation. We praise you for your faithfulness! Today we ask that you fill us with hope because you are alive and were working ahead of us today as you do every day. Show us where you want us to serve. We surrender our day to you. Bring new life to someone today in the name of Jesus, amen.

Your time with God’s Word
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭1‬; Mark 16:1-7 ‭NLT‬‬

Photo by Nadiia Ploshchenko 🇺🇦 on Unsplash

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