Women – We have More Strength than We Realize

According to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus’ disciples deserted Him when He was arrested. They scattered. All of the Gospels have accounts of Peter following at a distance, but then he ended up denying Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. Only the Gospel of John specifically places one of the Twelve near Jesus during the Crucifixion.

What catches my attention is how the women stayed. They stayed until the end. They watched Jesus die, and they followed the man who buried His body. They were the ones who knew where the tomb was located.

I believe a woman’s role is crucial. We have more strength than we realize. We have the strength to stay—to hang in there until the end, no matter what happens. We are more relationally driven than result-driven.

The women who followed Jesus remained out of love. They stayed to what appeared to be the bitter end. As a result, they had the privilege of knowing where Jesus’ body was laid. The women were also the first to return to the tomb after Sabbath observation. According to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, an angel (two angels in Luke) appeared to the women at the tomb and told them Jesus had risen from the dead.

What’s more, in the Gospel of Matthew, the risen Jesus appeared first to the women. The Gospel of Mark tells us that Mary Magdalene was the first to see Him. According to the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene reported to Peter and John that the tomb had been disturbed, and the men ran to see it for themselves. After observing the disappearance of the body from the tomb, they returned to their homes. Mary, on the other hand, stayed at the tomb. She was upset because she did not know where Jesus’ body was. She wanted to find out where Jesus had been taken so she could retrieve the body. Then, because Mary stayed, she saw and spoke with the angels in the tomb—and with the risen Lord.

The men missed out! If we just stand firm in our role, imagine what we will be blessed to experience! God designed us to be relational – so we would be equipped already to stand firm no matter what.

– We need to stay.
– We need to believe in and encourage the men we love.
– We need to remain until the end, regardless of whether we’re facing defeat or victory.
– We need to be women who are committed for the long haul, not based on circumstances but on this fact: God is worthy.

Are you ready to take your place?