The Stone is Shuddering

Last week, in small group, as one of my ladies was praying for another about a very difficult situation she has been facing for months the Lord gave me the image of the tomb of Christ. 

My friend lost her job in February and here we are in December and she hasn't found employment yet. She has been discouraged. She has had moments of fear, confusion, and even anxiety. She has been forced to spend months on her knees before the Lord and to trust Him every step of the way. And her faith has been stretched to lengths I'm sure she didn't realize was possible. The Lord has sustained her in multiple ways every step of this journey through the wilderness. 

She has come to the end of her unemployment checks. She is single so she is the only source of income. She is facing the possibility of having to move from her home. She doesn't know what is next or how she will get to wherever she is going. She is trusting God all the while with butterflies in her stomach. 

As a group we have been behind her and surrounding her as we seek God on her behalf. Believing for a perfect set up from Him, seeing His hand at work her life through every part of this wilderness experience, and praising Him for His every blessing along the way. It hurts us to see our dear friend hurting. But at the same time we all know that God has promised to never leave her or forsake her and we know that He is more than faithful and more than capable. We do not fear for her because we know she is a child of God. 

She knows this too. But when it's us in the wilderness it can become difficult to always remember it. The Enemy likes to come to attack our minds when we are weak and tired. He plays on our emotions and circumstances. He casts shadows of darkness that make our mole hills look like mountains. As God is testing and purifying us the Enemy is there tempting us to give up. 

When the Lord showed me the image of the tomb I immediately felt led to the disciples of Christ. They followed Jesus for three years-listening his ministry, witnessing miracles, experiencing God's power through His ministry. They ate, slept, served, traveled, and prayed with this man. They knew He was the Son of God, the Savior promised to Israel. And even though prophecies and Christ Himself warned them that He would be crucified and put in that tomb they were shocked when it happened. 

Scripture tells us they hid in fear for their own lives after He was killed. They were, no doubt, devastated. I'm sure confusion was a prevalent emotion. As one sits in the dark with their grief depression has a way of kicking in. And even when some heard of the miracle of the Resurrection doubt would not allow faith to ignite or fact to be seen clearly. 

Isn't that kind of like us? We are going along with life and feel like everything's good and then BAM! A hit comes out of seemingly nowhere and we are left reeling with all the similar emotions that the disciples experienced: Confusion, grief, anger, fear, depression, loss of faith, etc. we can't figure out what happened or how it happened. This is whether it's the death of a loved one, loss of a job, financial crisis, car accident or trouble, marital trials, illness, etc. We wonder why we didn't see this coming; where was the warning? 

Jesus gives us a warning too! He tells us in the Gospel of Mark that we will face troubles in this world. But in the same thought he tells us to be encouraged because He has overcome this world. We have to remember that we have already been warned that these troubles are going to come. We know things are going to go wrong-stuff happens. But we have been promised that we will overcome because He overcame! 

In the image the Lord gave me of the tomb the stone was at first in place. And my mind went to the disciples and the hopelessness they must have felt when that stone was set in place. The finality of the sound of the rock dropping-sealing the dead in place. Dead dreams. Dead hope. Dead future. Dead friend. Dead leader. Dead love. Dead source of everything they needed and knew. Death must have hung like a heavy cloak in the air. I could feel it choking me and weighing me down as I saw this image. 

But then the Lord allowed me to see the stone shudder and shake and begin to slide open again. 

I shared this with my friend. That just as the disciples felt all out of hope and were literally at the end of everything and were sitting there not having a clue what to do next-hiding in fear and self-preservation:she has come to the end of hers. There's no more money. There are only questions before her. She has no idea what is next. She is in self preservation mode. She is at a complete loss. Just as that stone was rolled away to reveal the full power and glory of God through the power of the Resurrection of Christ the stone is being rolled away in this area of her life too. And she should prepare to receive and witness the power of God's resurrection power and His glory made manifest in her life. Just as the disciples (and the world) were set up for a miracle in what seemed the darkest of times and worst possible event...she is being set up for hers in this. 

It's been a few days since we were all together praying and I saw that image. But it has stayed imprinted in my mind's eye ever since. I keep seeing it. The Lord has truly given me something to hang onto in this season of life. As different struggles and concerns have come up over the past few days the image of that tomb and the stone shuddering before it moved keeps returning. 

I feel led to and encouraged to share this with everyone today. The stone is shuddering. It's about to roll away and unleash the resurrection power of Christ in your life. Whether it be a dream or a goal you have put on a shelf. Whether it be a situation you feel like there is no way out of. Whether it be a loss and grief that you feel like you will never overcome. Whether it be a relationship that has fallen apart and you are ready to throw in the towel and give up. Whether it is an illness you or a loved one are battling. Whether it is just a loss of hope and faith in God's love for you. A loss of assurance that He cares and is listening to the cries of your heart late in the midnight hour. 

The stone is shuddering. Stop and silence yourself for just a moment and you will feel it shuddering in your heart. Quiet your mind and you will hear in the soft whisper of His voice calling your name. Let us prepare ourselves for the flood of glory and wonder working power that is about to be unleashed in our lives and hearts. 

Christmas can be a season of anxiety and stress and depression. Or it can be what God has called it to be, not the world. It can be a season of hope and joy and promises fulfilled. That baby boy born of a virgin brought us this. And when that stone rolled away He brought it with him again a hundred fold. And He offers it to us now. Turn your eyes expectantly toward those tombs and prepare yourself for the miracle of a resurrection in your life. 

"And He who is seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'" Revelation 21:5 

The battle that Jesus fought in the grave was for you and for me. The keys to death and the grave that He took from the Enemy He then gave to the Church. That's us! The believers and followers of Christ! The battles we are fighting are not ours to fight. It is fruitless struggling because the battle has already been fought. The Lord has already won. The Enemy we struggle against is a defeated foe. Receive these keys with the power that God has given to us through his Holy Spirit. 

Experience the resurrection that He is offering you. Then take those keys and unlock someone else's tomb with the power of your testimony.