Mary's Morning

Alone. Afraid. Discouraged. Worn-out. Grieving. Mary was all of these. She got up early to go to the grave where they had hastily buried her friend and teacher on Friday. She knew he had been railroaded and killed by the authorities based on lies and envy but there was nothing to be done, now. All that was left was to give him a decent burial, at least. There hadn’t been time for all of that as the sun was going down on Friday and Sabbath was beginning. Everyone knew that he would have urged them to drop everything and observe the Day of Rest, even if it meant leaving his body uncared for, resting temporarily in a borrowed tomb. But now, finally, she could find closure. She could make sure his body was buried properly.

She went early in the morning with Peter, John, and a few other ladies to the tomb but things were not as they expected, at all. Why was the tomb open? Why were the guards sleeping like they were dead? Others looked around and even in the tomb, but no one was sure what was happening. Even Mary thought she saw angels. She thought they said something about Jesus being alive, but it couldn’t be true. She was so tired and distraught that she had to have imagined it. No, nobody had risen from the dead since Elisha the Prophet brought back that poor, sick boy so many years ago. God doesn’t do that anymore, for some reason, she thought. Then she noticed someone else there after all her friends had left. She was weeping and sobbing so hard that she couldn’t believe he asked her why she was crying. Isn’t it obvious, she thought. They’ve even taken his body away! Wasn’t it enough to kill him on a cross? She said, “Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you put him and I will go get him.”

“Mary.” All he had said her name, but what was this? Was it…Jesus? She raised her eyes to see and the entire world took on a new glow. It was Him… whole, healthy, with a big smile and wide open arms!

It was a different Mary who went to her friends and told them exactly what Jesus had told her to say: “I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” She knew the forces of evil had done everything they could possibly do to her Teacher and all they had proven was that he is Lord.

Jesus is still alive and always will be. He is the Lord and He invites you to follow Him. You may be lonely, worn out, ill, addicted, angry, or all of that and worse, but His arms are still open wide and his invitation still stands. Follow Him and be made new!