Hi ,

"Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,  and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb."

Matthew 27:57-61 (NKJV)

Have you ever had your fondest desires completely dashed by circumstances beyond your control?

In this passage, Jesus has been crucified, Joseph has taken his body and prepared it for burial, and two women who are (no doubt) overcome with grief are accompanying Christ's body to His resting place.

They were last at the tomb of Jesus, and it must have seemed like their entire world had come crashing down around them as they watched the lifeless body of Jesus placed there.

If you have ever experienced trauma and heartache in your life, the experience of these two women (and others) does not seem uncharacteristic of someone who is grieving; waiting, watching, and wondering at everything that has taken place.

When the things you love are taken from you in this old world, sometimes it's important to step back and examine others who have lost something precious to them.

It can give us a perspective of understanding, that this very human reaction to trauma is being played, and replayed again and again while sin still has it's ugly way with planet earth.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming in the morning!

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word