Mary

                                   

              When I read John 20:15-18 quoted below, I am always amazed at Mary’s reaction when Jesus called out her name.  She immediately recognized Him and was astonished.  “What A Day” that was.  I wish I could have seen the countenance change on her face, (the change from grief over the loss of a loved one to absolute joy of having regained that loss.)

              My Aunt Inez Dittman passed over into Glory just a few hours before I sat down to write this devotional.   Her last few years have been “sickness and confusion.”  Yet, can you imagine her countenance change as she looked upon the eyes of her Saviour, “as He took her by the hand and led her to the Promised Land.” (Her sickness, her pain, her confusion is now gone.)  Think about how her heart was thrilled at hearing her name from the mouth of Jesus.  “What A Day” that was.

              Today, (Easter Day,) I want each of you to search your heart, and consider your reaction to Jesus calling you by your name.  Will it be a moment of elated joy or a time of abject fear?

John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

              If you believe, you will go to Glory with the Love of God.  It will be a joy to be in the presence of Jesus the Christ, and be there everlastingly.  However, those of you who have not called on the name of Jesus from your mouth and your heart will never see that joy.  You will never see rejoicing.  You will never see joy or love, or warmth of heart.  (You will always be within the abiding wrath of God [hell] for an everlasting eternity.)

              So, will you hear Jesus call your name, calling you home, to join Him in eternity, or will “God’s abiding wrath” be your home?

              One thing God has given all of us is the ability of a free will, (the ability to choose our own destiny.)  We can choose to follow Jesus, or we can choose hell.  The choice is ours.  (It all comes from our heart, and with our mouth, we speak our heart’s desire.)

Romans 10:9-10  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Do you look forward to the time, (with the desire of your heart,) that you will hear Jesus call your name?  Choose you this day, and accept Jesus, and one day He will call out your name.                                      

Bro. John R. E Chastain

John 20:15-18  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.  (16)  Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.  (17)  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.  (18)  Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Mary Saw Him

            Reading our scripture from John 20:15-18 quoted below, we can almost hear the surprise in Mary’s voice.  It would be nice to be able to hear her say “Rabboni” I can only imagine a high shrill voice, one of super surprise, and one of super excitement in actually seeing her Master alive, knowing He is Risen. 

              When a loved one has departed this life we would expect, in this life time, never to be able to hug them, nor hold their hand nor speak to them again.   There are times I would like to just tell my Dad I love him.  I cannot tell you I ever told him that or that he ever told me he loved me.    In my heart I know, but I would really like to know that I did tell him that I loved him. 

              Here Mary is standing before a Risen Christ Jesus, and she is not allowed to touch Him.  Don’t you know she wanted to hug Him, tell Him how sorry she was about all that had happened?   Yet she couldn’t.  It wasn’t possible.

              You see we cannot see Jesus, nor can we physically touch Him, yet, we know He loves us, and if you have accepted Him with a sincere, desiring heart, you love Him.  However, we know He ascended to Heaven to be with His Father, and our Father, and to His God and our God.

              I have gotten past even remembering who my physical Father was over the sixty plus years.  I do remember his history, his name, yet, that is all I know.  I don’t know why God took him away from my Mother, my Sister and I, but He did.  My God, through His Word, has taught me that what has happened in my life was for a reason.  

              So back to Mary, she returns to the Apostles and relays her story to them.  They all consider it “women’s tales” except Peter and John.   They check out Mary’s story and find an empty tomb. As Paul Harvey would always say, “Now Here Is The Rest of The Story.”  As we read on, we find that Jesus is Risen, He was resurrected from the dead.

(Romans 10:9)  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

              Here we are at Easter, celebrating our Risen Christ.  “…why weepest thou?”  We are here to celebrate the Life God has given us through His Risen Son, our Lord Jesus.

              If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, do it today, so you can know Him and know you haven’t let opportunity pass you by.                                                                                  Bro. John R. E Chastain

John 20:15-18  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.  (16)  Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.  (17)  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.  (18)  Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.