Calling My Name

Happy Easter to all!  Christ is RISEN!

This morning we heard a sermon from John 20: 1-18, and a couple of things stood out from the passage.  (Don't you just love it when words you've read a thousand times just jump off the page at you?)

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. (verses 1-4)

Do you think Peter was mad that John wrote in the Bible that the other disciple was faster than him?  Ha!  When the pastor read the verses above, I chuckled inside.  Oh Peter, maybe you should have gone to the gym a little more often.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).  (verses 11-16)

I can identify with Mary.  Life seemed upside down.  Circumstances were not as she had hoped or even imagined.  Jesus met her in that difficult spot and spoke to her.  At first she couldn't understand that it was Him... until He called her name... Mary.  Then everything made sense again.  Reminds me of another verse...

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Isaiah 43:1

Praying that in the midst of life, I will listen for His voice calling my name.