April 10

“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?’ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away!” — Mark 16:2-4

This stone had worried the women, as they hurried toward the grave. They knew it was there, that it was too heavy for them with their frail hands to roll away, and they wondered how they could get it removed. But now, when they came in sight of the tomb–they looked up and saw that the stone was rolled away!

This incident illustrates many experiences in our common life. We worry about difficulties and obstacles which lie in our path–and seem to block our progress. But when we move on obediently, and come to the place of the supposed hindrance or obstacle–it is gone, or it was never there, except in our imagination! We all know that very many of our anxieties prove to be really groundless in the end.

Here, we ought to learn the lesson once for all–when God sends us anywhere, that He also makes it possible for us to go. Duty’s paths always open for us, as we go on–not before we start—but as we obey and move forward. Yet we must not expect there will never be any difficulties to meet, or obstacles to surmount. God never has promised that! Too easy a path is often a bane in life–not a blessing! The difficulties and obstacles that remain, may be made stepping-stones by which we shall rise to nobler and higher Christian character!