But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.
Mark 16: 4
Every now and then, we hear miraculous stories of people who have come back to life from the brink of death. We are captivated by these near-death stories because they give us a glimpse into the hope that we all cling to concerning the afterlife with Jesus. Our physical death is the portal to this eternal dwelling. It is the final step to something new.
As the women approach the tomb that Easter morning, they are not preparing for a near-death experience, instead they are preparing for death. They approach the tomb with their spices and ointments ready to perform the customary rituals on Jesus’ body, but they have no idea how they will actually reach his body because a huge stone blocks the entrance of the tomb. These women are a reminder of our humanity. How often, are we ourselves caught up in the narrow reality of what we know and feel? Even when, we speak of faith, our responses to stress and hardship are often completely carnal, and utterly human. We approach these situations with a sense of dread, hoping for a miracle but not quite sure if we believe that dead situations can lead to something new, maybe even something good.
Suddenly in Mark 16:4, the women look up, and that is when everything changes, they notice that the stone has already been rolled away. This massive obstacle that blocked their entry to Jesus’s body, has been removed and the tomb that held death is empty. If you have been looking down, or looking around, it is time to look up. Even the Psalmist declares, “I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help (Psalm 121:1).” Look up dear friend, and watch God remove every obstacle that blocks your path to him. Look up and watch him turn the dead situations in your life into something new and good. Look up and rejoice, Jesus has conquered death; he is risen!
Almighty God, teach me to look up from the circumstances that drag me down. I place my trust in you risen LORD. In you alone is my victory. Amen!