Here's something each one of us has held at one time or another: a stone. I just love it when my family goes to the park or goes camping, and I get the chance to toss stones into the lake — maybe even throwing them so they skip along the top of the lake before they plunge in.
Many years ago there was another rock that was used for a much sadder purpose. After Jesus died on the cross, His body was laid into a tomb that was something like a cave — perhaps a natural cave, or maybe one that had been dug out of the side of a hill. And after His body was laid in the tomb, a giant stone was rolled into place to cover the entrance to the tomb. It was a big rock, so it probably took several big men to move it.
What a sad day that must have been for Jesus' disciples and for the people who loved Him so much. They thought He was gone forever!
But early on Easter morning, that giant stone miraculously dropped away from the front of the tomb to reveal that Jesus was no longer dead, but He had risen! God showed that He is greater than death — and because Jesus was raised from the dead, we have the promise that even after death we, too, will be able to live together with God forever!
So the stone which was used for such a sad purpose on Friday became a stone of discovery on Easter Sunday! Whenever you look at a stone, let it remind you that Jesus is alive today and wants to live in your heart and in mine. (JMD)
