WHO ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).
John 20:14-16 (NLT)
In John 20, we see that Mary Magdalene went to Jesus's tomb to pay her respects. However, when she arrived at the tomb, the body of Jesus was no longer there. I can only imagine how she may have felt. On top of the pain of witnessing the death of her friend and mentor, who showed her such unconditional love, she was now discovering that the body of Jesus was no longer there—had someone stolen the body of Jesus and taken Him away? How would she be able to show care for His body? Why was this terrible act of disrespect added to the travesty of taking the life of Jesus?
Mary saw that the body of Jesus was missing, and her sorrow was magnified. But she didn’t see the full truth of the situation until she recognized the voice of Jesus speaking directly to her. Though she was seeking Jesus, she was overwhelmed by her circumstances and found it difficult to recognize the voice of Jesus. When she heard Jesus, she experienced the relief and joy that came with recognizing His presence.
The daily challenges of life can seem overwhelming. The weight of those challenges can be magnified when compounded by a crisis. But when we search for the words of Jesus to speak to our situation, we can find peace in knowing that He is with us, He sees us, and He can guide us through this day.
APPLICATION: Ask Jesus how He feels about you and write down the thoughts that come to your mind. Read Psalm 139:1-18 and write the verse that stands out to you.
PRAYER: Father, thank You for being with me today. Remind me of Your presence as we walk through this day together. Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?