10 Aug Show up and stay!
Read John 20:1-18
Thought for the Day: Do I show up and stay?
In the 20th Chapter of John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene arrived at Jesus’ tomb in the early morning. After she found the tomb empty and stone rolled away, Mary immediately ran to get Peter and the other disciples. When the disciples arrived, they found the tomb empty but because they believed Jesus’ body had simply been moved or stolen, they went back home. Rather than being willing to stay and figure out what was going on, the disciples made a special guest appearance before exiting stage right. However, Mary acted differently – she stayed. It was her willingness to stick around that allowed Mary to encounter a person (who she at first thought was the gardener) who turned out to be Jesus.
On that Easter morning, the disciples acted like they lived in 2020. Living in our instant gratification society, we look for instant results and quick fixes. Rather than practicing patience, we read headlines and jump to conclusions. Soon after, we quickly move on to something else. Arriving at the empty tomb that day, the disciples immediately jumped to their own conclusions. Then, they went home. Mary stayed! She understood that real love extends beyond a simple snap-judgment. Though she didn’t have all the answers, she was willing to stay and invest her time at the tomb. Her willingness to stay and grieve the loss of Jesus gave her an amazing opportunity. Suddenly, she found herself face to face with Jesus!
In our lives, it is easy to talk about doing the right thing. It is also easy to show up for a moment. At the times when our friends and families go through a crisis, it is easy to show up and make a special guest appearance. Bringing a bouquet of flowers and saying a quick hello for five minutes is easy. Staying and being consistently present for loved ones is hard! However, this is exactly what Christ calls us to do. Today, let’s learn the lesson of Mary Magdalene. In all parts of our lives, we are invited to show up and stay!
In Christ,
Pastors Stan and David
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