Lent Day 31 | The Stone Will Move

Scripture Focus:

John 11:39–40 (ESV)

“Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be an odor…’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’”

The Stone Will Move

As we move closer to Easter, we are invited to consider what feels sealed, closed, or beyond change. In John 11, Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. The stone is not just physical — it represents finality. Martha’s response is honest and human: it is too late. The situation has gone too far.

Yet Jesus speaks into that finality with quiet authority: “Take away the stone.” Before the miracle, before the visible change, there is an invitation to trust. Jesus does not ignore Martha’s concern, but He redirects her attention to a greater reality — the glory of God is about to be revealed.

Often, the places that feel most closed off in our lives are the very places where God intends to move. The “stone” may look like a situation that seems irreversible, a prayer that feels unanswered, or a part of our story that feels beyond redemption. Lent brings us face to face with these places, not to discourage us, but to prepare us to trust God’s power.

Paul writes in Ephesians 1:19–20 about “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,” the same power that raised Christ from the dead. The resurrection is not only an event to remember; it is a reality that shapes how we trust God now.

Before new life is revealed, the stone must be moved.

And sometimes, Jesus invites us to trust Him enough to step forward before we see what He will do.

Practice

Identify one “stone” in your life — something that feels closed, final, or beyond change.

Bring it before Jesus and pray:

“Lord, I trust You with what feels impossible. Help me believe that You are still at work.”

Reflection Question

What situation feels sealed off, and how might Jesus be inviting me to trust Him there?