Fresh Start Devotionals

Three Women Every Easter I think about a sermon I heard my Dad preach when I was just a boy based upon the resurrection narrative in the gospel of Mark. In the sermon, he emphasized that the extraordinary events of life are usually enjoyed by those who are willing to give themselves to the ordinary tasks of devotion. The three ladies, Mary Magdalene, Mary and Salome came to Jesus’ tomb early on Sunday morning to anoint Jesus’ remains with spices. Jewish law prohibited them from performing these tasks immediately after his death, because of the prohibition against working on the Sabbath, so they delayed going to the tomb until the Sabbath was over. Where were his disciples? We know John was at the crucifixion, but we don’t know where the others were. Why wouldn’t those who were the closest to Him, and who would take the reigns of the church after His ascension, be there to take care of this unpleasant task? Why would they leave it to these women? Even if the duty was beneath their stature, shouldn’t the men have come to roll the stone away so the women could fulfill their obligation? What if there was a confrontation with the guards? Wouldn’t three women be a mismatch for the highly trained Roman guards? These three women are prototypes of Christian service. No, they weren’t leaders, they were servants. They were get-it-done people with a whatever-it-takes attitude. Like the people who type our letters, watch our nursery and clean our buildings. They are no nonsense servants of the Lord. The result of their work is greater than the sum of their labor. Because they were faithful to be in the right place in the right time, they were the first to hear of Christ’s resurrection and the first to bring the good news to others. But before they did, they saw Him, face to face. Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).