Focus on The Detail

Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back— it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.


As I read this account of the day of the resurrection, a couple of details struck me:

The women were already on their way to the tomb when they questioned who would roll the stone out of their way. To me, this says that they didn't worry about seemingly big details like how they were going to get into the tomb, but focused only on the biggest detail: that they were going to honor Jesus' body.

How many times do we talk ourselves out of doing something that we feel called to do simply because we can't figure out all the details? How much more effective would we be as Christians if we focused only on the biggest detail of our calling and took the rest on faith.

Just a little pondering that I've been doing this afternoon. Do y'all have any thoughts? Leave them in the comments section below.

Refuge

What is refuge?

Often, during times of military and political conflict, you will hear news anchors use the term 'refugees' for people who flee their homeland to seek safety somewhere else.

Perhaps the only other place that I hear the word refuge used much is the Bible, mostly Psalms.

Merriam-Webster defines refuge as "shelter or protection from danger or distress; a place that provides shelter or protection; something to which one has recourse in difficulty".

For Christians, especially those experiencing "difficulty", our refuge is God and his character. Psalm 119:114 says "You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word." In fact, we have so much refuge in God that Psalm 59:16 says that "I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble."

So, as Christians, we don't just have a little refuge in God. We have so much that not only will we be able to trust him with our burdens, but we should be able to sing of his strength and love. Imagine the faith it must take to find that much refuge from your troubles, and ask God for that faith now.