Keep Seeking

Posted on Apr 1, 2018 by Anna Thoreson in Devotions |

“Mary stood outside the tomb crying.” (John 20:11a NIV)

Grief will freeze us completely if we allow it. We can get stuck in sorrow and lose our way altogether. We have to move forward in grief or it won’t resolve.

“As she wept, she bent over to look in the tomb.” (John 20:11b NIV)

Even in her grief, Mary is still looking for Jesus. She is searching Him out through tear-filled eyes. She doesn’t yet know that He is risen, but she is there, at dawn, visiting the last place He lay. She is determined to connect with Him one more time.

We must seek Jesus in our grief. We must use whatever strength and determination we still possess to bring our sorrow to Him. I can only imagine what energy Mary must have mustered to pull herself from her bed of sorrow and manage the poorly lit path to the tomb.

When we seek Jesus in our grief, He meets us amidst it.

“He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” (John 20:15 NIV)

Jesus cares about the wounds that inflict us. Our hurts hurt Him, too. He doesn’t brush Mary off or blithely press the solution into her palm. He hears her tear-filled story first.

And then He says her name.

“Jesus said to her, “Mary.” And she turned to Him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” which means ‘Teacher.’” (John 20:16 NIV)

With one spoken word, Jesus turns our grieving moments into teaching moments. He takes us from great sorrow to greater understanding, and ultimately, greatest joy.

Beloved, if you are still grieving; keep seeking.

If you have the Savior’s ear; keep telling your story. He’s listening.

And when He finally says your name, let His word heal your heart completely.

“The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have You come under my roof. But just say the word and my servant will be healed.” (Matthew 8:8 NIV)
 
I keep having this thought about how if it isn’t good yet, it’s not done yet. He isn’t finished. Mary was still weeping because she didn’t yet know the rest of the story. When she finally heard it, her heart soared! The tomb was empty, the Christ was risen!  We keep seeking, we keep reaching, until the story unwinds it’s way to the end. The best stuff always happens in the last chapter.

Lord, may we seek You in our sorrow. Even on Easter morning, we might be reaching out to You through tears. We might be stumbling along the pre-dawn path still-drunk with sorrow. Please meet us. Hear our stories. Heal us with a single word. And let us hear and see just how good You are. Amen.