“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24:1-3).

Sunday morning was difficult for these women. The image of Jesus hanging on a cross was still fresh in their minds. The rapid pace at which it all happened was still so unexpected. Have you ever felt like these women? 

Have you ever gone nights without sleep because your sorrow is so deep? Has your heart ever tried to carry a heavy burden you didn’t see coming? And have you ever felt like that feeling would never change?  

It seems these women did. You wouldn’t bring burial spices to a grave if you were looking for the living. They weren’t expecting to see life. They were expecting to see death. But what they found was enough to give hope, peace, and joy to anyone who has ever been convinced he or she will never again feel those wonderful things.

They saw proof that Jesus was risen and that his sacrifice for our sins was accepted. They saw God’s ability to keep a promise to love us and to give us the greatest victory of all. They saw, just as we do as we consider the empty tomb, the glorious significance of Easter morning.