When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
– Mark 16:1-3

Though the details of the story are undoubtedly different, my hunch is that this story of “the first Easter” is strikingly similar to the Easters with which you’re familiar. These three verses give us the image of a small group of people gathering in the name of an important tradition – and there’s no shortage of details with which to concern oneself! I love this question: “Who will roll away the stone?” It sure is easy to get bogged down in the details of a busy day.

Here’s why I think that these are important verses: even in the midst of our busyness, our daily tasks, and our focus on the practical matters of any given day (“Who will move that rock?”), Jesus is still working. When I read that question, there’s something deeply relatable. “Who will roll the stone away…” could easily be “Who’s going to get the kids from the bus stop?” or “Do I need to go to the grocery store?” or “Where am I going to fit that meeting into my schedule?” These tend to be the questions on the forefront of our mind. Much less often do we wonder things like “How will Jesus show me life and resurrection today?” There’s absolutely no sense in this story that these women have any clue that they’re about to walk into one of the most influential moments in creation’s history. They’re just going about their business.

Perhaps that feels particularly relatable in this season of COVID-19. Someone said to me a few months ago, “Every decision feels consequential.” I think that continues to be true as we look more and more closely at what it means to reopen. With whom do we gather? Are they comfortable and safe? Am I comfortable and safe? We’ve always had lots on our minds – especially around the holidays – and for many of us, that might be particularly true this year. So, here’s the lesson in all of this: in the midst of your decisions, in the midst of your tasks, concerns, and chores, don’t forget that Jesus can do some wild stuff – even when you’re not looking for it.

We’re all susceptible to this. Some of us are ready to dive right back in (“Move that stone!”) and others of us aren’t quite there yet, but we’ve all got something on our mind. As we walk through this Easter season, what are the “stones” that are holding your attention? What tasks have become forefront in your mind, and what might it look like if they were rolled away to reveal what Jesus was doing behind the scenes?

Has something drawn your attention away from our Risen Savior? What would it take to roll that distraction away? I’d love to hear your story.

Be well, friends.

Ed Sutter