“The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” - Luke 23:55-56

Today is Saturday, the day between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. On this day 2000+ years ago, Jesus' body lay in a tomb. Cold. Still. Dead. 

The women who were so loyal to Jesus wanted to give him a proper burial with spices and perfumes, but they did not do it on the Sabbath. They waited until the first day of the week "in obedience to the commandment." They were faithful Jews. They loved God. 

In the midst of great disappointment, they obeyed what they knew to obey. 

I wonder what would have happened if they decided that their despair justified a little Sabbath-breaking and then went off to the tomb a day early. They would have found what they expected - Jesus' dead body. And they would have done what they came to do - put the perfumes and spices on him and wrapped him properly. But they would have missed out on what God was up to. 

Of course, Jesus would have resurrected either way, but perhaps these women would have missed out on being the first witnesses and messengers of the greatest event in world history. 

On this day let's remember Jesus' early followers who were confused and befuddled and had no clue what God was up to. And let's consider our own lives. 

Are you in the middle of circumstances where you have no clue what God is up to? Where you are asking, "Why God?" 

He is always up to something. 

The same God who came crashing out of a tomb in a body that had been dead is always looking to bring resurrection power to this broken world. 

Your job? Be faithful in the small things. Obey what you know to obey. Do the next right thing you know to do, even if you think your pain justifies a few small compromises. Like the women, you may be positioning yourself to be part of something great that God is about to do.