WINDOW ON THE EMPTY TOMB

WINDOW ON THE EMPTY TOMB
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 by Ruth Wuwong

Categories: devotional / GUEST AUTHORS

PLEASE WELCOME

RUTH WUWONG

TUESDAY’S TREASURE

My husband and I volunteered for eight weeks at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem before the pandemic. The Garden Tomb, tucked away just outside the old city walls of Jerusalem, is revered by many as the site of Jesus’ burial and resurrection. During our time there, every morning as sunlight filtered through olive branches and birds flitted above ancient stones, I found myself immersed not only in history but in the heartbeat of Christian faith.

At the very heart of the Garden Tomb is the Christian belief that, on the third day, Jesus rose from the grave. As a volunteer, I witnessed countless visitors from every continent contemplating this fact. To stand in a space that many believe witnessed the single most transformative event in human history is a humbling experience. It’s a reminder that resurrection is the living hope of believers across generations and cultures.

One detail that captivated me was the small window carved into the tomb’s stone wall. In ancient Jewish tradition, such a window was often placed in a tomb to allow the soul to leave.

The story of Lazarus, another resurrection with its unique details, came alive when I looked at the small opening in the stone wall. Recorded in the Gospel of John, Lazarus was in the tomb for four days before Christ called him out. In ancient times, the fourth day was significant, as it was believed that the spirit had left the tomb by then, making resurrection even more miraculous. As I walked among those ancient stones in Jerusalem, I found new resonance: Jesus commands life not only over death, but over hopelessness, over finality, over the “impossible.”

Our weeks at the Garden Tomb were weeks of service—greeting pilgrims, tending gardens, and taking care of the gift shop. Yet they were also weeks of encounter. The history, the passion, the small window in the stone, all became part of my faith journey. In that quiet garden, I learned more about faith, hope, and the enduring possibility of new beginnings.

As the world continues to seek healing and restoration, the empty tomb and its small, hope-filled window remind me daily: the story is not over.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

Do you believe this?

P.S.: I’ve included my experience at the Garden Tomb in my book, Love Under Holy Skies. It’s free on KU. If you’re interested, please click this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F362Q7T8

MORE ABOUT LOVE UNDER HOLY SKIES

Has anyone encountered the Jerusalem syndrome—the profound spiritual aura of the Holy Land?

Biochemist Lily Leung always considered love a luxury she couldn’t afford. Betrayed and kicked out of her family home in Taiwan at sixteen, she won’t risk such heartache again.

Entrepreneur Josh Ying carries his own scars. Growing up in Hong Kong with a sick older brother, he became the invisible child until his bold demand led to a dire consequence.

When their paths converge at Ohio State University, these two desolate souls forge an unexpected bond. Yet, unhealed wounds, resentment, guilt, and circumstances beyond their control drive them apart. Now, years later, a chance encounter at the Garden Tomb in Israel reunites them. Under the spell of the Jerusalem syndrome, will they jeopardize their hearts again?

Join Lily and Josh on a heartfelt journey of healing and redemption where love is both a risk and a salvation in a world marked by cultural and emotional complexities.

Note: The first edition of this book under the title, Love at the Garden Tomb, was published in 2022.

ABOUT DR. RUTH WUWONG

Dr. Wuwong (PhD in biochemistry, MBA in finance) has published 120+ scientific books and papers (under her legal name) and a few Christian fiction books under R. F. Whong. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, a retired pastor. They served together at three churches from 1987 to 2020. Her grown son works in a nearby city.

She currently runs a small biotech company (www.vidasym.com) and has raised more than twenty million US dollars during the past few years for Vidasym.

In addition to her weekly newsletter and the platform (www.ruthforchrist.com), she’s active in several writers’ groups, including ACFW, Word Weavers, Facebook, and Goodreads. Through these connections, she plans newsletter/promotion swaps with others and has writers endorse her books, write forewords, and host her on guest blogs.

The Minnesota Anoka County Library has chosen her as a 2025 Featured Author.

One of her books, Echoes over Stormy Sea, has won several awards, including being recently chosen by readers as a winner in the HOLT Medallion Contest.