Rest in obedience

Darkness covered the earth as Jesus hung on the cross. Then with a loud voice, Jesus cried, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” When He had said this, He breathed His last”.  The spectators, who had come to watch the crucifixion, saw that Jesus had died and they walked away. However, the women, who had been followers of Jesus in Galilee, continued to stand there, watching from a distance. Then, a member of the council named Joseph came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Joseph was a good man, who had not voted in favour of the crucifixion. He was seeking the kingdom of God. Joseph took the body of Jesus, wrapped it in linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of a rock, which had not been used before. This was the day of preparation and the Sabbath was approaching. The women saw Joseph request the body of Jesus and they followed him. They saw the tomb, and observed how the body of Jesus was laid. The women returned home to prepare spices and fragrant oils to embalm the body of Jesus. Then, they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment (Luke 23: 46-56). When you have seen someone you love die, it is such an emotionally overwhelming experience that the rules by which you live can seem secondary to the sheer enormity of the moment. You may want to go home and lock yourself away. You may want to sit down and process what has happened. Can it be true? How can one who was so vital just breathe their last and depart this life? Yet, this was exactly what had happened. The women may have asked themselves how life could go on – business as usual – when the One who gave everything true meaning was no longer with them? Yet, in the midst of the undoubted soul searching and questioning, the women remained steadfast in their love for their Lord and they rested, as He would have done, in obedience to His word. If your heart is heavy and broken, remember that the One who rescued His people from slavery, regarded His day of rest as a celebration of His deliverance (Deuteronomy 5: 15). Rest in obedience, your deliverance is on its way.