He Calls Your Name!

 

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. (John 20:16-18 ESV).

 

We should not leave the story of Mary Magdalene and Jesus at the empty tomb before we see how Jesus calls out to her. While John and Peter experienced the evidence of the empty tomb and the abandoned grave clothes, Mary had the privilege of a different kind of evidence. She had the amazing opportunity to be one of the first persons to actually meet the risen Lord and hear him speak (cf. Matthew 28:8-10).

 

Mary had been in tears, thinking that someone had stolen Jesus’ body from the tomb. As Jesus approached her, he asked her gently why she was crying. But she thought he was the gardener and assumed he might know where Jesus’ body was. Then Jesus spoke her name: “Mary.” And she knew.

 

All her distress immediately vanished. Instead of the dead body she had hoped to recover, she found herself face to face with the living Lord. It was all the evidence she would ever need. For the second time that morning, Mary found herself running to the place where the disciples were staying, and she announced, “I have the seen the Lord!”

 

Remarkably, God knows our name as well. “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands,” (Isaiah 49:16). If you listen, you will hear him calling your name deep within. It’s the only evidence you will ever need to know that he is alive. As we begin to look at each of the next days before Easter, please remember that He calls your name. He knows you and loves you so much He died in your place to give you eternal life. Regardless of what you have done or left undone, He comes to you with open arms and healing for all your ills. Trust in Him!