Overcoming Fear Day 5
WEEK 1 DEVOTIONAL
HE’S NOT IN THE GRAVE
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Matthew 28:1-10
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
I can’t imagine the emotional roller coaster that these women were feeling. Jesus had turned their lives upside down. He forgave their sins. He was the messiah! The excitement they must have felt! They developed a relationship with Him; they cared for Him. Whenever they heard Him talk, they were filled with awe, conviction, love, worship of God. He was like no other man! He was the messiah. Finally, God had sent the awaited savior and they personally knew Him.
Then they watched Him get arrested and then die an agonizing death on the cross. The confusion that they must have felt! Was anything that Jesus said true? What do they do now? How could they go back to the way they lived life Before?
So, there they were at the tomb and an angel was there. He said that Jesus came back to life, Wow! The guards trembled in fear, but the woman listened to the angel. The angel said Jesus was alive and he commissioned then to tell the rest of the disciples this great news. They were filled with fear and with great joy. They immediately ran to tell the disciples. Fear did not keep them from fulfilling their role - they ran to tell the disciples. Jesus met them. They worshipped Him! Jesus said to them, do not be afraid. They were still afraid. That didn’t keep Jesus from sending them to tell His brothers. It didn’t keep them from doing what they were commissioned to do.
PRAYER:
Lord, there are so many times that I am afraid. I don’t want to be like those guards and be frozen in fear. I repent for listening to the voice of fear instead of listening to Your voice telling me to fear not.
I repent for fearing____________________________. I renounce the fear of ___________. I trust You with _________________________________ . I repent for letting fear keep me from doing what You have called me to do. You called me to _______________________________.
I want to be like the two Marys. I want to tell others about You. I want to do whatever You have called me to do!
Lord, I’m listening to you right now. Is there anything You want to say to me?