When hope seems lost?

Matthew 27:61

Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.

(Left: Possible tomb of Jesus)

This verse captures a poignant moment in the Gospel of Matthew. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are sitting in the garden across from the tomb of Jesus. In the preceding verses, Matthew tells about how a rich man from Arimathea got permission from Pilate to bury Jesus. He wrapped Jesus in a clean linen cloth and placed Him in his new tomb. Then he proceeded to roll a big stone in front of the entrance.

As followers of Christ or even people who have been to more than one Easter service, we will be very familiar with this scenario. A few weeks ago, I read a devotion, and the anchor verse for the devotion was this verse. As I read the verse, I stopped and grabbed my Bible. I felt amazed. How is it possible that I haven't read this verse before?

This tends to happen often when you read the Bible. You become so familiar with some of the stories of the Bible that somehow we 'miss' some verses. We don't 'miss' some verses but rather glance over them as we read because of their familiarity. The Bible is dynamic. It is God's living and breathing Word, and God uses His word, the Bible, to speak to us. So, at times, verses tend to pop up, and as we pause and reflect on their significance, the Holy Spirit speaks to us.

This verse in Matthew 27:61 did just that. The Holy Spirit highlighted this verse to me and got me thinking.

The account of Jesus' burial is addressed in all four Gospels. All four accounts have the same features. Joseph of Arimathea requested Pilate to bury the body of Jesus in a new tomb. Matthew, Mark, and Luke mention that these women, Mary Magdalen and another Mary, saw where Jesus was buried. In the Gospel, according to John, he does not explicitly say that they witnessed the burial, but it is implied because, in the next chapter, these ladies return to the tomb early in the morning, on the first day of the week.

All of the accounts of the burial of Jesus were fundamentally the same. Why am I then so fascinated by Matthew's account of the burial?

Picture with me the evening after the crucifixion of Jesus. These ladies were with Jesus the entire time while He hung on the cross. With sadness, they watched His life ebbed away. These women were not just passing acquaintances. They have been involved in His ministry for quite some time. In fact, Jesus delivered Mary Magdalen from demons. Her love and gratitude for this teacher must have been great. The other Mary is said to be James' mother. She was also part of Jesus' ministry. She recognised His importance and significance. She even tried to bargain a spot for sons James and John to each sit on His left and right side in His future Kingdom.

There had to be a tremendous sadness that overwhelmed them as Jesus died. Then, with heavy hearts, they followed Joseph from Arimathea as he took Jesus's body to the tomb. Can you imagine how they must have felt?

What stood out when I read the account of Jesus' burial according to Matthew is that he wrote: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting opposite the tomb. They were openly sitting there. They did not hide behind bushes, hoping no one would find out about their loyalty. No, they openly sat there, and I could imagine thoughts running through their heads.

Much of what they were feeling had to be sadness. But, consider with me for a moment; both these ladies were part of His ministry. They knew what He said about His death and resurrection. They either knew about or saw some of the miracles he performed, such as raising people from death. There was Jairus's daughter, the centurion's servant, the widow's son and the most famous of all, Lazarus. They knew He said He was going to die and then rise from the dead, and they knew He was able to raise people from the dead. Maybe as they were sitting there opposite the tomb, they were waiting with the expectation that Jesus would come and walk out of the tomb.

Can you imagine them sitting there? Maybe they encouraged each other with stories from the past. I wonder how long they sat there before they decided it was time to go home. Did they go home with heavy hearts because that which they hoped for and prayed for didn't happen? The promise of a Kingdom, the hope of victory over their oppressors, the confirmation that everything Jesus said about Himself was true, was it all lost?

Well, they did decide to leave the burial site. According to the Gospel's authors, they returned to the grave early on the morning of the first day of the week. They returned with what was needed to embalm Jesus. Was it with heavy hearts that they returned? Their hearts were weighed down with a heaviness coming from lost hope. We know the story. What they thought was the end was only the beginning.

Do you hear the message in this story? We have all been there. We have all been at a place at some point in our lives when we experience a lost hope. The hardest part is waiting for that promise to come to fruition and walking away. The disappointment is real, and most of us can recall when we asked the Lord, "Is this it? Is this how it is going to end?" We sit across the grave of our hopes and remember the miracles in the past—those times when answers came quickly. Solutions were only a prayer away.

With heavy hearts, we walk away. Not understanding why the Lord of all might and power allowed the hope to die.

Stop! Don't despair, remember the words of Isaiah 55:9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Trust the promises of our Lord. He is not a man that He would lie. His yes is yes, and His no is no. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Cor 1:20)

Go back to those promises and hold on to them. If God gave them to you, they will come to pass, maybe not exactly when or how you thought it would happen.

Jesus had to be in the grave for three days. We don't know why, but God had a plan and a purpose for why He chose to do it the way He did. Remember, however, that a promise from the Lord is not ours to fulfil. Allow Him to direct your steps and trust Him to complete His promises.

Maybe today, you can also return to the grave of your hopes and dreams and take your trust in a God who is faithful along with you. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. (Lam 3:25-26) Who knows, maybe today is when the answer you were waiting for will be resurrected. Today might be the day that your breakthrough happens. Today might be the day you are filled with renewed peace that passes all understanding because you remember that God is in control. He will work all things together for good.

I pray that today is the day that you will be surprised by Jesus, just like Mary Magdalene and the other Mary 2000 years ago.