Strength and Commitment
At the cross, male disciples had deserted Jesus. Peter, who boasted that he would stay with Jesus unto death, was not there. Neither were the other disciples, except for the beloved, widely believed to be John.
It was too dangerous to be identified with a condemned criminal, and yet, the women were there
It was too dangerous to be identified with a condemned criminal, and yet, the women were there – Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary the wife of Cleopas, Mary Magdalene, and a few others who stood at a distance.
The women shed tears of devotion as they gazed upon their crucified Saviour. They stayed as the world crumbled around them. At early dawn, they went to the tomb with spices and perfumes they had prepared. Broken-hearted, but still devoted. Grieving but still engaged. Overwhelmed but still serving. What strength and commitment!
When they arrived, the tomb was empty. Entirely at a loss, two men stood among them saying that Jesus had risen from the dead. As they turned back to break the news to the rest, the risen Christ Himself appeared to them. What joy! What amazement!
In those days, rabbis only taught male disciples. But when Jesus came, he taught women and included them too. These were women of strength and commitment, who had followed the Lord all the way from Galilee to Jerusalem, to the cross and to the tomb.
At the first dawn of the week, the women were the first at the tomb. And not only were they rewarded with the first news from the angels, but they were rewarded with the first appearance of the resurrected Lord!
This devotional reading has been adapted from ‘Windows on Easter: Men and Women Who Encountered Jesus’ ©️ 2010 by William Crowder. Adapted with permission from Our Daily Bread Publishing, PO Box 3566, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49501 USA.
Father, we pray that our hearts will be flooded with light so that we can understand the confident hope you have given us. We pray for strength, courage and love to continue to the end, so that we will see the incredible greatness of your power. Lord, we look upon your grace and mercy to stay focused and press on till the end of our days.
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