Tragedy - or miracle?

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. (Luke 24:1-12 ESV)

It has already been one of those weeks. We've been hit recently with over $800 in unexpected expenses. Our dog has a tumor that is likely cancerous. A family friend who is moving to our town this weekend ended up in the hospital yesterday with some serious problems. There never seems to be enough time. And a quick check of the news brings nothing to lift my spirits.

It's easy to be perplexed.

And yet, having just spent a week immersed in the lessons of Jesus' last week on earth, I am drawn back to our Easter Sunday message from church.

Our pastor spoke on Luke 24:1-12. The women went to the tomb that morning, not to observe the fulfillment of a promise, but out of devotion to Him. They were completing the Jewish burial purification process - with over 75 lb of oils and spices, the weight that would be prepared for kings. (Mark tells us that they didn't plan ahead for the heavy stone in front the tomb, wondering on the way how it would be removed.) Suddenly, they arrive at the tomb and the stone is rolled away! A miracle, right?

But they didn't see it that way. They were perplexed. John's Gospel lets us know that there was the assumption that someone had taken His body. A miracle had occurred, and they couldn't see it.

How like us. We tend to focus on the apparent defeat ("Where is He?") rather than the obvious victory ("He is Risen!"). We get perplexed, because we don't make the connection with the facts right before our eyes, and the promise He has made.

The key, our pastor observed, is found in verse 6: We must "remember how He spoke to us." We must keep His words before us. We must rest in the promises of God, which are "Yes and Amen" in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20). In other words, they are totally fulfilled in Him. We just have to get our eyes adjusted to see it.

And that is also where the resurrection miracle comes in. As our pastor noted, "The stone wasn't rolled away so that Jesus could walk out -- it was moved so we could look in!" God doesn't keep His miracles from us. He is glorified when we see a miracle for what it really is. And so He moved the stone, so the world could see the resurrection miracle.

I confess, I'm still perplexed. I'm struggling to see the victory in our recent challenges and those of our sick friend. Yet I know that through the Holy Spirit, we experience the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. I know that His Word will transform my perplexity into understanding. And I know that He is in control.

The empty tomb is proof. And its power doesn't stop on Easter Sunday.