I hope I never become complacent to the way the stories of the Bible touch my heart!
Each year at Easter I am drawn to the encounter of Mary and Jesus in the garden. It has such a powerful impact.
“Mary Magdalene stood crying outside the tomb. She was still weeping, when she stooped down 12 and saw two angels inside. They were dressed in white and were sitting where Jesus’ body had been. One was at the head and the other was at the foot. 13 The angels asked Mary, “Why are you crying?”
She answered, “They have taken away my Lord’s body! I don’t know where they have put him.”
As soon as Mary said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know who he was. 15 Jesus asked her, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener and said, “Sir, if you have taken his body away, please tell me, so I can go and get him.”
16 Then Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him, “Rabboni.” The Aramaic word “Rabboni” means “Teacher.” John 20:14-16 CEV
Mary had been at the foot of the cross and I’m sure she saw Jesus take that last breath and utter those words “It is finished”. Her heart broken; she had probably thought of nothing else for the last few days. The Sabbath was over and now she was able to go to the tomb and prepare His body properly for burial.
Jesus was her friend, her teacher, no one had ever been as compassionate as He. She could complete this one last expression of love and loyalty to honor Him. But when she arrived at the tomb He was gone…
Her heart sunk and the tears began to flow. She had probably stuffed her emotions deep just to make it through this last act of service but finding the tomb empty she began to weep.
Turning away from the tomb I’m sure her mind was filled with confusion and hopelessness. With her eyes filled with tears she saw someone standing behind her in the garden. She didn’t recognize this man in the early morning light and with her sight blurred by her tears. She thought he was the gardener.
He spoke to her and she questioned him but then it became personal. He spoke her name, “Mary”.
No one had a voice like His! No one had ever spoken her name the way He did! This was a one-on-one exchange between Mary and her Lord.
Jesus cares about our grieving, our broken hearts, our troubled minds. He cared enough to give His life for our salvation, our wholeness – spirit, soul and body.
“For sure He took on Himself our troubles and carried our sorrows. Yet we thought of Him as being punished and hurt by God, and made to suffer. 5 But He was hurt for our wrong-doing. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so we would have peace. He was beaten so we would be healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5 NLV
In my darkest hours of overwhelming sorrow and in my moments of greatest joy I have heard Him speak my name. When you hear Him speak your name it makes a lasting impact.