Skip to content ↓

“Mary.”

Articles Collection cover image

“Mary.” Of all the sentences in the Bible, this is one of my favorites. Mary Magdalene has come to Jesus’ tomb and is distressed to see that his body is gone. Convinced that someone has taken away His body, she stands outside the tomb weeping. Two angels appear and ask simply “Woman, why are you weeping?” She replies, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

But then she turns and sees someone. She does not recognize Him, though it is the very one she seeks. Somehow her eyes are closed so she cannot see who it is. This man says “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She supposes He must be the gardener and says, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” She wants the body back and begs that this man might return it to her.

But then, in an instant, her eyes are opened. Jesus, as He had called Lazarus out from the tomb, calls to her. He says but one word. “Mary.” At at that very instant she knew. At that very instant she saw and knew and understood that the One she sought was standing right there behind her. She turned and cried out “Rabboni!” (which means teacher). I wonder, did she scream this word and throw herself at Him? Perhaps she could do little more than call out in a whisper as she feel at his feet. We don’t know. But we do know that she clung to Jesus, overwhelmed with His presence, overwhelmed to know that He was alive. She saw and heard and believed.

As I read these words, I think of the way Jesus called me and the way He has called countless thousands of men and women to Himself. Like Mary I was once unable to see Jesus for who He is. I saw a man who may as well have been a gardener. He was a good man, a moral man, and maybe even a great man. But only when Jesus called me by name was I able to see that He is the god-man. Only then was I able to see Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Only then did I really and truly know Him. And only then were my eyes opened so I could see and my ears unstopped so I could hear and my heart renewed so I could believe. Like Mary, He called me by name.


  • CFL

    Christ for a Cruel World

    This sponsored post is provided by Caring for Life—a ministry that takes the Gospel to those who live on the margins of society and who struggle to cope in a cruel and unloving world. They seek to rescue damaged and vulnerable men and women, many who have been homeless or suffered abuse. They seek to…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (April 15)

    A La Carte: The rotten fruit of Obergefell / The church and the embryo / African Christian authors and publications / Redeeming the time / When a good thing turns deadly / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Men in the Image of Women and Women in the Image of Men

    Men in the Image of Women and Women in the Image of Men

    God made men and God made women. God made men distinct from women and women distinct from men. God made men and women equal in worth and value while also making them distinct in some purpose and function. It’s all obvious stuff, this—obvious matters of differences between the sexes.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (April 14)

    A La Carte: The healing of that old ache / Grounds for everyday smiles / A “quiet revival” in the UK / When Scripture gets stale / Praying when it feels like God isn’t listening / Kindle deals / and more.

  • A Less Busy Heart

    In the midst of our busy lives, we can sometimes wonder whether we really have the time to pray. Won’t prayer hinder our productivity? Won’t prayer keep us from getting done all the things we need to do?

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (April 12)

    A La Carte: Designer babies / The dragon and the rooster / Leper Christianity / Theologians against nature / Faithful and small / The missing heart of AI sermons / Douglas Groothuis books / and more.