Holy Week: Day 7
The Story isn't Over
Mark 15:46 NLT
Joseph brought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus' body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance.
The word ‘story’ is mentioned only two times in the Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 13:22 and 24:27 (KJV). Under Hebrew, “story” means “an investigation.” This remind me of Acts 17:11 (KJV), “… they received the word with all readiness in mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” They did their investigation; they carefully examine the scriptures. It’s amazing how many times Jesus told his disciples, “He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead." After careful examination of the scriptures, I notice Jesus did not use the word, ‘bury or burial’ concerning himself, except in Matthew 26:12 and Mark 14:8. When he spoke to the disciples about himself, Jesus would say, “He" or "the son of man" will be killed, or crucified, and on the third day he would be risen from the dead. He would bypass the tomb, grave, or burial. Why?
Maybe he did not want us to be stuck at the tomb, the grave or the burial ground. Those words represent the end of one life.
Over ten years ago, one of our sisters in Christ went home to be with the Lord. Everyday her daughter would visit the gravesite, which brought on depression. One day as we were talking, she shared what she was doing and how depressed she was. We had prayer and opened our Bible to Luke 24:5-6 (KJV), “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember…” I told her if her mother could speak to her now, she would repeat similar words, “My dear daughter why are you coming here as though I am dead, I am alive, I am with Jesus!” Those words lifted the depression from her; she saw her mother alive in heaven!
I never though those same words would comfort me when our son, John, departed this world and went home to be with Jesus Christ.
On Tuesday, March 31, I was speaking to a young woman who was a little angry with God. I let her know that I empathized with her. I told her, if anyone should be mad at God, it should be me especially after what happened to our son and other things in my life. I choose not to be mad. I say to her, “but the good news is, “We will see our son again.” She said, “I hope you will.” I responded, “Yes we will see him again.” That is a promise God gave us as believers according to the written word in 1 Corinthians 15.
By doing this devotion, the Story is not over for our loved ones in Christ Jesus. Just like our son, on February 25, 2019 at 7:40pm John closed his eyes (his life) to this world, but at the same exact time and day (not a second later), he opened his eyes in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. On Saturday, April 4, I was flipping through the channel, and stop to listen to a doctor telling this young man that he had cancer, but they were glad they found it early. The young man responded, “I’m going to die.” He only heard the negative, not the positive.
Maybe you or a loved one received a negative report from the doctor. Some words spoken over us like cancer or the fear of COVID-19 sometimes make us feel like it is a death sentence. However, the story is not over. In the video, I will share my faith and struggles after I also received a negative report from the doctor. However, my story was not over, I am here today to tell it. The Story isn’t Over for Jesus, our loved ones and for us.
Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!” Luke 24:5-6
Maybe he did not want us to be stuck at the tomb, the grave or the burial ground. Those words represent the end of one life.
Over ten years ago, one of our sisters in Christ went home to be with the Lord. Everyday her daughter would visit the gravesite, which brought on depression. One day as we were talking, she shared what she was doing and how depressed she was. We had prayer and opened our Bible to Luke 24:5-6 (KJV), “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember…” I told her if her mother could speak to her now, she would repeat similar words, “My dear daughter why are you coming here as though I am dead, I am alive, I am with Jesus!” Those words lifted the depression from her; she saw her mother alive in heaven!
I never though those same words would comfort me when our son, John, departed this world and went home to be with Jesus Christ.
On Tuesday, March 31, I was speaking to a young woman who was a little angry with God. I let her know that I empathized with her. I told her, if anyone should be mad at God, it should be me especially after what happened to our son and other things in my life. I choose not to be mad. I say to her, “but the good news is, “We will see our son again.” She said, “I hope you will.” I responded, “Yes we will see him again.” That is a promise God gave us as believers according to the written word in 1 Corinthians 15.
By doing this devotion, the Story is not over for our loved ones in Christ Jesus. Just like our son, on February 25, 2019 at 7:40pm John closed his eyes (his life) to this world, but at the same exact time and day (not a second later), he opened his eyes in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. On Saturday, April 4, I was flipping through the channel, and stop to listen to a doctor telling this young man that he had cancer, but they were glad they found it early. The young man responded, “I’m going to die.” He only heard the negative, not the positive.
Maybe you or a loved one received a negative report from the doctor. Some words spoken over us like cancer or the fear of COVID-19 sometimes make us feel like it is a death sentence. However, the story is not over. In the video, I will share my faith and struggles after I also received a negative report from the doctor. However, my story was not over, I am here today to tell it. The Story isn’t Over for Jesus, our loved ones and for us.
Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!” Luke 24:5-6
Aaron & Dawn Standberry
1 Comment
Such a blessing. This is an on time Word. Praise God the story is not over.