REMOVING THE STONES. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Mark 16:1-4

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?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.

OBSERVATION
A group of women want to anoint Jesus' body and they made preparations for it. They got the spices and all the ingredients necessary for the task. They rose early that day to do their service to the Lord. Everything seems in order until they realize on their way to the tomb that there was one problem they did not planned for... who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb? But they neither went back to find help nor stop to discussed the possibilities. They moved forward in faith and they got there the problem was already removed.

APPLICATION
Very often we go through situations where we have good intentions to do what God is calling us to do. We prepare and plan as best as we can, and we start the journey hoping to get things done. But almost without failing, we find challenges and roadblocks we did not planned for and we feel powerless to remove. We encounter a stone blocking us and we realize we don't have what it takes to remove it. Our tendency is to either give up and go back in disappointment or become paralyzed and try to find a solution on our own. These women did the right thing. They became aware of their shortcomings, but they move forward in faith, hoping to find the answer on their way up.

These women are very encouraging to me today. When I see the kind of things God wants me to do and I become aware of the roadblocks ahead, I recognize that certainly I don't have the wisdom, the stamina, the resources, and the strength to roll away the stones blocking me. Normally I don't give up, but unfortunately, I get numb, paralyzed, thinking and processing a lot, but not moving forward. It's at those moments where I need to move forward in faith. I need to trust that God's vision always comes with God's provision. I need to move forward knowing that God is going to meet me with a miracle of provision.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for revealing to me today that I'm missing so much because I'm stuck trying to move stones on my own. Please help me to put my complete trust in you, to move forward in spite of all my shortcomings. Certainly the new ventures you are calling me to requires a greater faith. I recognize that I don't have what it takes. I'm not enough to move the stones ahead. But you have all the wisdom, all the strength, all the resources to make it possible. So in your name, I will be moving forward, trusting each step of the way that you will meet me with miracles and removed stones.