Leaving Behind the Spices - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2025

And having returned they prepared aromatic spices and ointments, and remained quiet on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.
Luke 23:56

Leaving Behind the Spices
These devoted women made thorough preparation for anointing the body of our Lord. They observed the commandment relative to the Sabbath. Commendable indeed! So commendable that there is recorded in the Scripture of truth a testimony to their devotedness to be read by many. But as we look at it, all their preparation was to no practical purpose. They never had the opportunity to use what they had prepared for the anticipated reason. Why was this?

These women were locked in their understanding, in Jewish hopes, in their concern for a dead Jesus of Nazareth, "for they had not yet known the Scripture, that He must rise from among the dead" (Jn. 20:9). But they learned the truth that He was risen and that a risen Lord was much greater for their hopes than a dead Jesus of Nazareth. Joy fills their hearts where earlier despair and sadness had reigned. What about the spices and ointments which they had so carefully prepared? Now they were useless for the stated purpose.

Many times, our Lord guides us into things which may be designed only for us to show how devoted and dependent we are to Him, but these things in themselves will not be used by Him. Is there a loss? May He help us to show full devotion and receive the joy into which that devotion introduces us! Let us leave the aromatic spices and ointments, or whatever else there may be, with Him, "looking unto Jesus," the Risen One.

Hadley Hall
We know Thee now as risen, the Firstborn from the dead;We see Thee now ascended, the Church's glorious Head.In Thee by grace accepted, the heart and mind set freeTo think of all Thy sorrow, and thus remember Thee.

G. W. Frazer