Nougat 8

When we consider heroes of Faith, are there particular people that come to mind? I have a few, but the Mary’s were not necessarily among them. However, Today’s Holy Nougat changed my mind. What say you?

“Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬, ‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Faith despite the Impossibility

To understand the issue behind the large rock, one has to not only consider masonry and sepulcher-making, but also Who was in the sepulcher. I’m no expert in sepulchering, but my understanding is that a sepulcher (also spelled sepulchre) was a grave hewn out of rock, sealed by a stone to protect the dead body from becoming a carcass upon which wild animals feed. That means there would already have been plans for a ‘big stone’, or perhaps a slab, to seal the sepulcher entrance. It would probably be a bit heavy for one woman to roll, but might have been manageable for three.

However, Matthew tells us that some of the leading priests and Pharisees recalled Jesus’ prophecy about resurrection. They consulted with Pilate, and the decision was taken to further fortify the seal. This would prevent the disciples from stealing Jesus’ body (see Matthew 27:62-66). Plus, armed guards were set to watch Jesus’ sepulcher, so anyone who approached it would be seen immediately. The women would not have been a challenge for those guards to eliminate, although they were only going to embalm Jesus.

The women were literally up against a rock and a hard place. They had no equipment nor the clout to influence the guards. Nevertheless, they still prepared to embalm Jesus’ body. The odds definitely were not in their favor. Why were they still going, didn’t they realize that they were undertaking an fool’s mission?

How does one prepare for a task that is virtually impossible?

By focusing on the task assigned, not on the obstacles. Those three women had no idea what would face them at the sepulcher. But they pressed on. They had no brute strength to roll the slab, and they had zero clout with the guards. The women remained undaunted. Most of us wouldn’t have even started the journey. We’d have refused to go (especially since Jesus had not demanded that they embalm Him) on the grounds that we’d already failed even before we started. But they knew that they needed to honor Jesus despite the ignoble way He died. They opted to prepare His body for burial, although Jesus had already been entombed.

It seems that they were going through rituals, and not acting in obedience to God. (Especially when we know how the drama ends). But what if it is God Who’s commanding/directing us to step out in Faith? For Faith is not proven in the things that are seen. Faith is proven by our actioning of the unseen. That’s where the ‘substance’ comes in.

What is the impossible task facing us in this moment? Is it honoring God, or a specific mission from God? Having placed the task before God, what has God directed us to do? If we’re instructed to do, then by God’s grace, let’s do it, no matter how impossible it seems.

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May all we seek be found in Christ