The Joy At The Tomb

…And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy…
Matthew 28:8

Their sorrow was definite. Their heart was broken. Their depression was near. Just a few days before, they had watched their hope disappear as the Hope of Eternity was crucified. The man that promised to fulfill the law had died. The man that offered them eternal life now lay sealed inside a tomb. The man that once raised the dead was now unable to move because death had chained His body. But oh, what a difference a day makes! The sorrow, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had felt just days before was all erased because of what happened that day at the tomb. Though that morning when they arose from their sleep, their hearts were heavy with grief; that night they would be unable to sleep because of the joy that filled their soul. What happened?

It was the first day of the week. As the two women were walking down the road toward the garden tomb, there was a mighty earthquake that shook the earth beneath them. Sore afraid, they rushed to the sepulcher to be sure everything was ok. When they arrived that morning, it was not the Roman guards that met them, but rather they conversed with Holy Angels. "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." It was those words which filled their hearts with great joy.

Dear friend, contrary to the world, the Bible is not a storybook full of fairy tales. It is the first hand account of God’s redemption plan for man that culminated at the resurrection of our Lord. Today, for a moment, put aside all the things that jockey for your attention. Put aside the bills and the job. Lay aside the repairs and the games. Think solely about the resurrection of our Lord. Think about the Christ that rose from the grave. Think about His triumph over death, Hell, and the grave.

Has you joy gone away? Are you struggling just to take a deep breath because the pressures of life have weighed you down? My friend, Jesus is still alive! He is still real! The tomb is still empty! Focus your mind upon the resurrection today. What delight there is to be found in the story of God’s redemption plan for you and me. If God has the power over death, Hell, and the grave, do you not think He has the power over your situation and heartache? Praise be to God!