Daily Wisdom

Gloom or Anticipation? – Mark 16:2

Key Passage

Very early on that day, the first day of the week, the women were going to the tomb. It was very early after sunrise.

— Mark 16:2 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

This verse is filled with anticipation for those of us who live on this side of Jesus' resurrection. However, try to imagine what it was like for those women who had supported Jesus with their funds, had honored him with their discipleship, and were broken-hearted because of his death! Their walk to the tomb was an act of love and faithfulness. In the slowly gathering light of the early morning, their walk would have been a walk of agony and deep grief. Despite the danger of being identified with Jesus, despite the heaviness of their hearts, and despite the early hour of their walk to the tomb, these women still came to honor Christ. What excuse do you and I have for not coming to honor him? Let's approach our times together with Christians who assemble to honor Jesus with anticipation, not gloom. "The Lord's Day" is not only the day these women met the resurrected Jesus; it is also our day of assembling to remember Jesus and his birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection. Let's approach this day with anticipation and joy in our hearts!

Prayer

Father, make my heart glad to be with your people and meet the resurrected Jesus when we assemble in his name. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

This is true, because if two or three people are together believing in me, I am there with them."
Matthew 18:20

I am John, and I am your brother {in Christ}. We are together in Jesus, and we share these things: suffering, the kingdom, and patient endurance. I was on the island of Patmos because I was faithful to God's message and to the truth of Jesus. On the Lord's day the Spirit took control of me. I heard a loud voice behind me. It sounded like a trumpet.
Revelation 1:9-10

And so, brothers and sisters, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place. We can do this without fear because of the blood (death) of Jesus. We can enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us. It is a living way. This new way leads through the curtain —Christ's body. And we have a great priest who rules the house (people) of God. We have been cleansed and made free from feelings of guilt. And our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere (true) heart, feeling sure because of our faith. We should hold strongly to the hope that we have. And we should never fail to tell people about our hope. We can trust God to do what he promised. We should think about each other and see how we can help each other to show love and do good things. We should not quit meeting together. That's what some people are doing. But we should {meet together and} encourage each other. You should do this more and more as you see the Day coming.
Hebrews 10:19-25

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