So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. – John 19:40-42
Confusion. Shock. Fear. Uncertainty. Heartbreak. Silence. When they laid the breathless, lifeless body of Jesus in the tomb, it must have seemed like their own breath and life had been drained from them. And when the stone was rolled into place, it must have looked like their hopes and fate were sealed inside with the One they had pinned their hopes on and trusted their fate to. They were discovering what we all discover… Things often won’t go as we planned them. Things often won’t work out like we hoped. Things often won’t happen as we thought they would. Things often won’t be as simple or easy or comfortable as we would like. Instead, things will break our hearts and leave us in stunned silence. But, in the hands and plans of God, our struggles are not setbacks, they are stepping stones. When we go through hard times, it’s not in the way of God’s plan; it is His plan. Our God is sovereign, and though the sinfulness of people, the brokenness of this world and the maliciousness of Satan all rise up to seemingly stop God’s work, He makes them bow down and serve His purposes! The story is never over … NEVER OVER … until God has claimed the final victory, for God is always working things out for good in the end. Struggles will be defeated. Suffering will be defeated. Sin will be defeated. Satan will be defeated. Death will be defeated. Every foe we will ever face will be overturned, overthrown and overcome because Jesus is putting and will put every enemy under His foot. Until then, we wait. But we wait in hope of better things. For we know the rest of the story that these disciples were about to experience first-hand… They laid Jesus there. But He would not lie there for long. They thought it was the end. But it was just the beginning. It was finished. But it was not over.
