Scripture Scribbles: April 17, 2022
the Gospel
John 20:1-9
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.
the devotion
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
As I sit down to pray with this Scripture, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide where He may want this reflection to go, I am stopped after just this first sentence.
I know immediately that the Lord is speaking to me through it, without needing to read any further to discover where He might be speaking to my heart.
Mary went to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark. Full. Stop.
Mary went to the tomb, on the first day of the week, in the darkness of the night before the sun even rose.
I can hear the Holy Spirit nudging me:
Where in your life has the sun yet to rise?
Where are you waiting for the light to break in?
Can you identify your closed up, darkened tombs?
Where are the places of discord, fear, shame, distrust, confusion, lack of peace?
These are all opposites of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and therefore signs that they are dark places where God’s light wishes to be let in to heal. Now, consider these places in light of what we learn today from Mary of Magdala.
Mary went to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark.
Are we bringing these places of our heart, of our life, to the Lord — even while they are still dark? In the midst of the darkness, are we bringing our struggles, our broken places, our doubts, our fears, our sinful tendencies, situations that are out of our hands, to the Lord?
Now, take it one step further: Do we do it with real hope? With total trust? Do we actually believe that it will make a difference?
Mary of Magdala did.
She had just witnessed the most horrific event that she could fathom. The One who had redeemed her and set her free from all of her demons had just been viciously murdered on a cross in front of her eyes. People who once loved Him had turned against Him. At the most critical hour, all but one of His Apostles had fled the scene. And all of these events were completely outside of her control. She was unable to make it stop… And now He was gone.
Darkness was curling in from all sides, tempting her with despair, fear, shame, confusion, lack of peace, distrust, and, worst of all, hopelessness.
But Mary did not let it stop her. In the midst of this darkness, she went to the tomb.
Against all odds, she went to the tomb.
In the darkest moment, she went to the tomb.
She sought Christ in the midst of her suffering. And because she did, everything changed. She witnessed the greatest miracle that will ever occur this side of Heaven, and she got to be the first to share the news of it with anyone else. God abundantly blessed her complete trust in Him regardless of the circumstances.
Her hope in spite of a seemingly hopeless situation changed everything. Her light amidst the darkest hour helped to spark a fire that, to this very day, is still keeping others warm.
So, my invitation to you on this Easter Sunday is to bring the darkest places of your heart: your past, your struggles, your brokenness, your regrets, the circumstances that seem the most hopeless, the most dysfunctional relationships, the places you are most tempted to fall into despair…
Bring them all to the tomb this morning, even while it is still dark.
You might just find the stone removed and these places of your life resurrected.
Christ is Risen.
He is alive, in this very moment. And He is still resurrecting the places of our hearts that have succumbed to the darkness of death.
Let Him make you new this Easter.
And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’
Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.
Revelation 21:5
Today’s devotion is written by Rachel Smith.
