February 28th, 2008
The First Step
“And very early on the first day of the week, at sunrise, they went to the tomb.”
Mark 16:2
It’s always the first step that’s the hardest for me. Yesterday, the kids had a snowday. The night before I had told them about making igloos when I was little, and, of course, they asked if we could make one. So, yesterday morning began with questions about when we could go outside and build. You know, I love to be outside once I am there. For some reason, whether the exercise, the sun, the freshness – I don’t know – I seem to get more energy, peace and refreshment when I’m outside. However, in order to get there it takes a first step, and that first step is very difficult for me to achieve!
I wonder if that’s how the women were on the morning of Jesus’ resurrection. The man they had been following, who they were sure would make a difference to the world, had died. Not a peaceful death, but one of the most shameful, humiliating, painful deaths known. And yet, Sunday morning, bright and early, they went to the tomb with spices so the body would not smell so bad while it decayed. Why did they bother? They must have left their lodging that morning discouraged and downhearted, trying to figure out what they believed. It seems like they would have needed to “dig deep” to get the energy and umph to actually go to the tomb of this seemingly false teacher to help him smell better. The first step must have been very difficult.
You know the story. What they found there astounded them. Some of the last words they had heard Jesus utter was when he cried, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” Now the angel tells them that “He has been raised!” The Greek puts it in the “passive voice” which means that it was not Jesus who did the action, but someone else did it to him. Who raised Jesus? God did. We hear that so much I am sure you can easily skip over this paragraph with a nod and a “Yep, I believe that.” But let it sink in.
These women heard Jesus admitting that the Father had abandoned him. These first words they hear are that God reached down and raised Jesus. God did care. God did work through Jesus. Just think of all the thoughts and emotions swirling through them! They can have the hope. They could not possibly have understood at that instant all the ramifications of Jesus’ resurrection, but the point is, Jesus’ life AND death AND resurrection did make a difference to the world. God had not abandoned either Jesus or humans.
Their first step must have been difficult, but it brought life-changing results. How many times do we let the difficulty of a “first step” keep us from something God would like to show us or teach us. The first step is difficult, but if it is a step God wants you to take, then you can be sure there’s a purpose for it.