Early on Easter Sunday morning, with my (current) favorite cup of coffee (Starbucks Caramel pod with Natural Bliss Almond Milk Caramel creamer), I sat in bed and read John 18-20. A familiar story in a book that never becomes too known or old. I love how every time one reads a passage, no matter how often read or heard before, something new is revealed. God's like that. He loves to meet us on the pages as we wholeheartedly pursue relationship. 💗 Layer by layer. Precept upon precept.
John's account tells us that four women, (Jesus' mother, His aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene), were standing by the cross as He was dying. (John 19:25) John, "the disciple whom He loved," was also standing nearby. They offered Jesus the gift of their presence in His darkest hour.
#linger
On Sunday morning, after the Jewish Passover on Saturday, "Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark..." Scripture only contains important, carefully chosen words, so what are we to learn here? It reminds me of other passages, including Mark 1:35, "In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there."
#early
Blessed is (s)he who seeks God at day's beginning.
At our church on Easter Sunday, one of the verses highlighted was "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." Philippians 4:8a Jesus knew this. Mary Magdalene knew this. And from experience, I know this.
Back to John 20. When Mary finds the stone rolled away, she runs to tell Peter and John, and they all run back to the tomb. John peeks in. Peter barges in. (#lovePeter!) And then... "they [John and Peter] went back to their homes." (John 20:10) But not Mary. She stood weeping outside the tomb.💔 Jesus was her rock, and He was gone. It was sinking in. As she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb again, and this time she saw two angels.
John 20:13-16
They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them,
“They have taken away my Lord,
and I do not know where they have laid him.”
Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing,
but she did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him,
“Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him,
and I will take him away.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
He said her name, and her confusion lifted. He said her name, and she instantly recognized Him. This tenderest of scenes makes my eyes glisten every time. Oh the tenderness of their relationship. He knew her, and loved her the same. It's what every human heart craves - to be fully known, and to be loved anyhow.
What had led to this depth of relationship? Luke tells us that Jesus had healed Mary Magdalene and cast seven demons out of her. (Luke 8:2) Healing. Mary recognized her need of deliverance, and she met the Deliverer. The One who showed her God. She had lingered. She spent enough time with Him to know His voice. Even when her eyes failed her and she didn't recognize His risen body, her ears heard Him clearly.
Draw near to God, and He *will* draw near to you. The Bible says it so I believe it, and have experienced it as well. His still small voice. Wooing. Teaching. Coaching. Encouraging. Thankfully I will never watch Him die - rather, I will someday see Him appear victoriously. But I can empathize with Mary, realizing the full depth of the loss of the lover of her soul. I cannot imagine losing contact with my Lord.
In John 20:22, when Jesus had revealed Himself post resurrection to His followers, ..."He breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.' " This Holy Spirit had previously been promised to the disciples, at their last meal together, including as recorded in John 14:26-27. The "Helper," the teacher, the one who brings to remembrance Jesus' words. I had never noticed that His followers received the Holy Spirit on Easter evening. Love that. Mary's aloneness was no more.
As a final mention, please note that the first preacher EVER of the glorious news of the gospel, was Mary Magdalene. John 20:18 "I have seen the Lord!" In fact Jesus said to her, "...go to My brothers and say to them..." (John 20:17) Jesus commissioned a WOMAN! Mary, a woman in a day when women generally not valued, was CHOSEN by Jesus to go and share the good news with His disciples. This came about because she prioritized Jesus that morning, and lingered.
In the shadow of Mary's calling and example, I tell you: He is Risen! He is real! He longs to deliver us too. He is worth our pursuit... our FIRST pursuit of every day.
Let's purpose to spend enough time with Jesus so that we too will be able to clearly discern His voice. 💗
