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They Rested on the Sabbath

Written by ronda on . Posted in Phoebe Connections.

Luke 23:55-56

The women who had come with Him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how His body was placed. Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

I love the Steel Magnolias of the cross! Just as M’Lynn couldn’t leave her precious daughter, Shelby, while she was dying, so these dear Steel Magnolias of the cross could not leave their Jesus as they watched Him die the most agonizing death imaginable. They continued to follow Him to the grave to see where He was buried and how He was laid in the tomb. They were women who truly followed Jesus as far as they could follow Him, then they rested on the Sabbath as was commanded.

True followers of Jesus would have rested on the Sabbath. As such, they would not have worked to steal the body, as some scoffers suggest. The Jewish leaders would not have stolen the body because of the Sabbath, and the last thing they wanted was an empty tomb to appear as if He had, in fact, risen. The Roman soldiers would have had no reason to want to steal the body, and a body has never been found to suggest it was ever stolen. His empty tomb still stands as reason enough to believe in His resurrection.

God gave the command to rest on the Sabbath, and that is what the followers of Jesus did. This rest was a means of honoring Him and the work of creation. The Sabbath rest is devoted to God. As they were resting, God was accepting the sacrifice of Jesus for our sin, and Jesus was conquering the Devil in hell. God fights wars on our behalf when we rest and honor Him.

Today is the Sabbath before Easter. Rest in honor of your heavenly Father. He is fighting battles for you about which you know nothing, and He will reveal this to you in due time. Until then, honor Him with the rest He commands. Place your full trust in Him. He knew what you would face and how you would fail, yet He chose to use you in His great plan. Expect Him to overcome what you can’t, and be ready to walk in your purpose when He reveals His plan to you. Sunday is coming!

Have a blessed day!

PHOEBE Connections, Inc. is a 501(c)3 dedicated to enhancing the lives of widows by building relationships and helping them find new identity in Jesus Christ through serving others. We promote an atmosphere of fellowship, where the widow can connect with other widows to develop friendships and supportive relationships.