Easter

Mary was one of Jesus’ closest followers. She had spent countless hours in the company of the Lord, yet in her grief she did not recognize Him after He rose. This is something that has always puzzled me. How could she not know it was Him?! Maybe she was so overcome by her grief and emotions that she was distracted from seeing what was right in front of her eyes. Surely she wasn’t expecting Him to be there, a gardener who had moved Jesus would make so much more sense. How easy it is for us to be in the same state. We can become so full of sadness over what we have been through that we can’t see the miracle happening right before us. When something devastating happens, we aren’t expecting joy. Pain just makes more sense. But it is in these instances that Jesus shows up unexpectedly, gently calling our name, waiting for us to look up and see His face.

[Jhn 20:14-16 NIV] 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means "Teacher").

[Jhn 1:10 NIV] 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

[Act 13:27 NIV] 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.