Luke 24:2-3

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body.

On his first day at preschool, my two year old son, Taniela Wesley DC Moa, could not wait to meet his new friends and new teacher. He got up early before seven o’clock, and said to me, “Mom, I’m ready to go school.” I said, “We won’t leave until 8:30 a.m.” Around 9:00 a.m. we arrived at the preschool front door. His teacher showed us his desk and where to put his backpack and his lunch. No one was in the classroom yet. I thought that is not what he expected. He expected that when we entered the room he would see all his new friends. After a few minutes, students started to fill the room and Taniela started to smile and talk. When everyone was present, they were invited to the Chapel to start the daily routine with prayer. Taniela enjoyed his first day and loved to play with his new friends.

Our human mentality is always expecting what we want to see. Our mind tells us this is what it used to be, and this is what I want to be, and expecting that is what it will be. Everything is from God and God is the source of this universe and our whole life. God had a plan for each one of us, and what we need to do is to find what God had planned for our own life.

Today’s meditation is about the women who visited the tomb as everyone else did at the death. They went to take some fragrant perfume to anoint the body. They didn’t expect what they saw. The tomb should be like other tombs. They didn’t expect the stone would be rolled away. They expected to find the body of Jesus in the tomb. However, when they arrived they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, and when they went in, they did not find the body. We used to do things according to our experience, knowledge and understanding. Everything is limited, but God has been and will always be beyond our knowledge and understanding. God is Almighty and what is impossible to us is possible to God. The women’s expectation was not as they saw, and the most crucial part was the body of Jesus was not found. The tomb was empty. During this time of Lent and meditation on who we are and why we’re following Jesus, let Jesus guide and lead us. Don’t let our knowledge and expectation guide us. We will end up in a wrong direction. We won’t meet Jesus and we won’t find Him; we might find nothing. On our Lenten journey, walk with God and may God’s love be always in our mind and heart. Let’s start with God and God will be with us all the way.

Prayer: O Lord our God, our expectation is always with you. May your love fulfill our mind and heart so that we can find you walking with us at this time of renewal. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Linita ‘Ulu’ave Moa
First United Methodist Church of Honolulu
Hawaii District