Key Passage
The women said to each other, "There is a large stone covering the entrance of the tomb. Who will move the stone for us?"
— Mark 16:3 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
"Who will move the stone for us?" This was the question of the women who had followed Jesus. Who will balance the checkbook, service the car, mow the lawn, take care of the house, do the laundry, bake the Christmas cookies, … and on and on we could go about the practical questions that lie beneath the death of a loved one. In the face of death, we often find ourselves with bewildering and overwhelming questions. These are practical questions. These are hard questions. These are confusing questions. Jesus' death was no different. Life goes on for those left behind in grief. More than just offering quiet and nice platitudes, let's get to work helping roll away the stone for each person who needs grace—let's do practical and helpful things that need doing while they are overwhelmed with grief.
Prayer
Dear God, grief comes back during the Christmas season and hits us surprisingly hard. Please be with us and help us make it through this year's Christmas with appreciation for those who have gone to be with you before us. Give us the courage to walk faithfully in their footsteps. Please provide us with the support of Christian community to help us "roll away our stone" and do the things that most need doing. And, dear Father, please use us—use me—to help those in grief in very practical ways. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Related Scriptures
The next day Jesus went to a town called Nain. Jesus' followers and a large group of people were traveling with him. When Jesus came near the town gates, he saw a funeral. A mother, who was a widow, had lost her only son. Many people from the town were there with the mother while her son was being carried out. When the Lord (Jesus) saw her, he felt very sorry for her. Jesus said to her, "Don't cry." Jesus walked to the coffin and touched it. The men that were carrying the coffin stopped. Jesus said to the dead son, "Young man, I tell you, get up!" Then the son sat up and began to talk. Jesus gave him to his mother.
— Luke 7:11-15
Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those people who have died. We don't want you to be sad like other people—people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died. But we believe that Jesus rose again. So, because of Jesus, God will raise to be with Jesus those people who have died. What we tell you now is the Lord's own message. We who are living now might still be living when the Lord comes again. We who are living at that time will be with the Lord, but not before those people who have already died. The Lord himself will come down from heaven. There will be a loud command. That command will be given with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. And the people who have died and were in Christ will rise first. After that, we people who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with those people who have died. We will be taken up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.
— 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Don't let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.
— 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
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