2 Samuel 18:1-19:10
John 20:1-31
Psalm 119:153-176
Proverbs 16:14-15
John 20:11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
Mary was crying but she was not left alone she was there with the other women and angels were sent to them. When we are filled with sorrow God will often send "angels" to be with us. He also puts people in our lives before we need them so that we can reach out to them when we need them or so they will reach out to us when we need them. Have you ever been having a bad day and gotten a phone call or visit from someone who is an "angel" for you that has made your bad day better? Or maybe when you are having that bad day in the midst of it you have an urge to call someone and when you do they bring some light into the situation? What we believe is true in a situation is not always true.
John 20:13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
Mary's understanding of the situation was not the truth. It was not the reality. Her grief came from her limited perspective. We often find ourselves grieving, stressed out, angry or anxious over things that are not true. Things that are not reality. It could be that our perspective is limited. When we get an idea in our head and focus on it, we get tunnel vision. This limits our ability to see anything but that one thing, and if that thing is a lie, it can cause a lot of unnecessary "crying". It also can limit our ability to see the truth even when it is right in front of our face. We know that from the other gospels that the angels told the women that Jesus had risen but Mary was living in the untruth of the situation.
John 20:14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
Even when she saw Jesus she didn't realize it was Him. The truth was right in front of her face and she didn't recognize it. She couldn't see Him for who He really was. We can do that with people in our lives. We can look at a situation and make an assumption as to what is true even if it's not. When an untruth becomes like a truth in our lives we respond and live in it. Even when someone stands before us in truth a truth that contradicts the lie we can't see it. I have someone in my life who has lived a life of great abuse and trauma. She has lived so many untruths that everything in her life is based on lies. Every feeling, opinion and belief that she has is based on lies. When I have tried to speak truth into those lies she refuses to hear it. She will get angry and tell me that "no one understands" her. When I point her to scripture to support it she still can't see the truth. She will always look back to what she is believing to be true and refer to it no matter how much truth is set before her.
John 20:15 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.”
Mary does the same. Truth is standing in front of her and she was so focused on the lie that even when Jesus spoke to her she didn't recognize Him. She revered back to the lie. The reality in front of her was blinded by the tunnel vision on what she was believing to be true. The angels had told her that He had risen. Jesus had told them He was going to rise but she was so focused on the lie that she couldn't see it.
John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
But when He spoke her name it cut through her limited view and gave her eyes to see the truth. Jesus is the truth. His resurrection is the truth. I have been praying for my friend that is living in a life of lies. I want to be there for her I want to help her. I want to know what I can say or do to help her see the truth. Today Jesus is telling me that only He can break through the lies. Only His voice can open her eyes. Look how hard it was for Mary to break through this one lie. Someone who has a lifetime of lies to break through will take more time and His timing is always right. I need to continue to be one of her "angels". Be there for her, ask questions, listen, and speak truth.
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