The First Witnesses
He Shows Up When You Show Up
Scripture — Matthew 28:7–10 (NASB95)
"Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."
Cowboy Wisdom
There's an old saying on the ranch: you can't steer a parked horse. A horse has to be moving before you can give it direction. These women got moving — fast. Scripture says they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran. They didn't sit down at the empty tomb and hold a committee meeting about what it all meant. They moved. And it was while they were moving in obedience that Jesus Himself met them on the road.
That's the nature of faith in action. The Lord tends to show up when His people are already on their feet and headed in the right direction. These women had every reason to be confused and frightened. They'd watched Jesus die. They'd seen where He was buried. And now an angel was telling them He was alive and they needed to go tell the disciples. That's a lot to process before breakfast. But they ran. And Jesus — right there in the road — greeted them. Not in the temple. Not at a scheduled religious gathering. Right in the middle of their obedient, running, half-terrified, full-of-joy mission.
When they reached Him, they grabbed His feet and worshiped. That's a beautiful picture. They didn't just wave from a distance or nod with polite acknowledgment. They grabbed hold of the risen Christ and didn't let go. That's the kind of faith that transforms a life — the kind that refuses to keep the Lord at arm's length, that reaches out and holds on to Him even when everything around you is still swirling and uncertain. He has risen, and He still meets people on the road today. The question is: are you moving?
Questions for Reflection
Can you think of a time when you stepped out in obedience — even while still afraid — and experienced God meeting you in the middle of it?
The women held His feet and worshiped Him. What does wholehearted, undignified worship look like in your own life?
Jesus told them, "Do not be afraid." What fear is currently keeping you from running in the direction God is calling you?
Prayer Focus
Father, I want to be the kind of person who moves when You speak — even when I'm still working through fear, even when things don't fully make sense yet. Like those women at the tomb, help me to run in obedience and trust that You will meet me on the road. Let me not worship You from a safe, comfortable distance, but let me take hold of You — Your Word, Your presence, Your promises — and refuse to let go. Remove every fear that has me parked when I should be riding. Because He has risen, and He goes before me. Amen.
