What the Women at the Tomb Reveal About the Heart of Jesus

 by Michaelle Moran

Read Matthew 28:1-9

I remember hearing the news that my cousin—whom I had grown up with—had died. He was only 36 years old. I was so overcome with grief I felt like I couldn’t breathe. It was unimaginable to me that the intensity of that sorrow would ever lift.

His death is just one example of the deep sorrow and grief I’ve experienced in life. The truth is, if we’ve lived even a few decades, grief has likely found its way to us in some form. Perhaps today grief has found you yet again.

Grief can lead us to feel hopeless.

But our feelings of hopelessness cannot make the hope we have in Jesus any less true.

Today, let’s turn to Scripture once again and see the heart of Jesus as He comes near in grief and hopelessness:

In my last devotion, we looked at what Jesus did in Mary Magdalene’s grief as she stood outside the empty tomb, weeping—believing someone had taken His body.

There, in that moment of sorrow, we see Jesus come near and call her by name, reminding her that she was fully known, and that He was fully with her.

Mary Magdalene’s encounter reminds us that Jesus does not turn away from our grief—He sees us in it and comes near to us there.

Mary wasn’t the only grieving heart Jesus appeared to that morning.

Other women had also come with her to the tomb expecting to find Jesus’ body, but instead found an angel sitting on the stone that had been rolled away from the tomb (Matthew 28:2).

I believe it’s worth pausing to notice this: The stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could exit. It was rolled away so the women could enter, as the angel instructed them to do, which you will soon read about.

In other words, the stone wasn’t moved to make something happen—it was moved to reveal what already had.

In this scene, we witness the first way Jesus ministered to their grieving hearts — He had an angel assure them that His body had not been stolen but that He had risen.

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for  He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.” (vv. 5–6)

I don’t know how I would react if an angel ever appeared to me, but I imagine it would be a mixture of fear and disbelief—although mostly fear. These women experienced fear and joy (v.8), but their fear wasn’t the kind I imagine I would feel. It wasn’t paralyzing terror as I can assure you mine would be.

It was awe.

A sense of astonishment that they were witnessing something beyond what they could explain—a supernatural encounter with an angel. In that moment, they were seeing the reality of the kingdom of God with their own eyes. And isn’t that what Jesus said He came to advance (Luke 4:43)?

Now, here was more proof that He was who He said He was—and that He had done what He said He would do.

But because Jesus is who He is and He loves us to the point of sacrificing His own life, He didn’t allow the angel’s words to be the only comfort and assurance for these women.

As they were running from the tomb to go tell the disciples that Jesus had risen, as the angel told them to do (vv. 7–8), Jesus met them on the road.

Did you notice that He came to them?

Right there on the road, in the midst of them processing the grief they had felt only moments earlier—now suddenly mixed with the joyful news of His resurrection.

And He simply said, “Greetings!” (v. 9)

I imagine this may have been how He had always greeted them.

Another tender assurance that He was indeed the same Jesus who had been crucified—but was now risen.

The women were filled with excitement over the news the angel had given them—but notice what happens when they come face-to-face with Jesus:

“And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.” (v. 9)

As eager as they were to go and tell the disciples that Jesus had risen, everything changed in that moment.

When they saw Him, they stopped.

They stopped running. They stopped grieving.

They fell at His feet and worshiped Him (v. 9). In the presence of the risen Jesus, grief gave way to worship.

Our grief—whether caused by the loss of a loved one or a life-changing diagnosis—may continue as we walk this earth. But what we see in the women’s encounter with Jesus is this:

He is who He says He is, proven by the witnesses of His post-resurrection appearances.

He is always present—He comes to us, especially in our grief.

Although grief is very real, it is not forever. As soon as we are in His presence, our grief is no more.

He calls us toward something greater than our pain—the kingdom of God, which is already here, though not yet in its fullness.

Friend, when we are fully in God’s kingdom, the only thing we will be consumed by is eternal joy.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” —Psalm 16:11

And we too will fall at His feet—

not in grief,

but in worship—

before the One who conquered sin and death.

Just as the women’s grief gave way to worship in the presence of the risen Jesus, one day ours will too.

What grief are you carrying today?

Do you believe that Jesus is with you?

What would it look like for you to come to Jesus today in that grief—just as you are, in the midst of your suffocating fear or loneliness, and tears that just don’t stop?

He knows your name.

He knows your sorrow.

 And He knows what awaits you.