She was able to see what Peter and John could not see or feel; because she saw through the eyes of faith. Mary saw the angels, her eyes of understanding were opened.
Sometimes in life, all we’ve got to do is sit, look and then we can clearly see. But this is not so in our today’s world, as pressure of life, impatience, care of the world are some of the reasons we are not settled enough to really look and see. In the book of John chapter 20, a story is told of Mary Magdalene who went very early to the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. It was stated that “while it was still dark Mary went alone to the tomb”, she was not scared and needed no one to go with her nor needed anyone to help her see.
What are your worries? what is taking you farther away from your purpose? Don’t be like John and Peter, who were in their purpose but could not see but rushed out of it.
On getting to the tomb, Mary discovered the stone blocking the entrance to the tomb had been rolled away, and without even looking in, she ran back to beckon on Simon Peter and John, telling them that she could not find Jesus. What she didn’t tell them was that she didn’t look through to check if Jesus was there or not. When they heard what she said, Peter and John ran and did outrun each other.
When they finally found their way there, John was the first to get there, and to my surprise, he did not go in or even look through. I wonder why he ran so fast in the first place, if eventually he was not going to go in. Then came Peter, the rock, for who he was, with his zealous personality, without hesitation, ran into the tomb. He saw the linen that was used to wrap Jesus neatly folded to one side where Jesus had been laid.
When John saw Peter’s confidence, he then summoned courage and entered and when they saw the emptiness of the tomb, they believed Jesus had risen. From there, they just went back home without any concerns.
Stay! There is Hope
“All hope is gone, our master is gone” I guess this would have been Peter and John’s thought as they headed home.
However, Mary who was the first to come to the tomb was now seated, settled and upset after the rat race with Peter and John. Despite her being upset, she didn’t allow her emotion to overshadow her. She then had a second look into the tomb, with the hope of seeing. With a deeper look of expectation, Mary looked again and then she saw two angels wearing white garment, sitting there in the tomb where Jesus was laid, the fact that Mary was sitting outside she could still see the inside.
She was able to see what Peter and John could not see nor feel; because she saw through the eyes of faith. Mary saw the angels, because her eyes of understanding were now opened.
She had a divine encounter with the angels because of her genuine heart to see the Lord. When she saw the angel, she was asked by the angel what she was looking for because Jesus was no longer there. He has risen. She then asked; “where have you kept Him?” Unknown to her that it was the Lord Jesus who was talking to her. Then Jesus called out to her “Mary”, then she realised it was the Master.
Calm Down
Had Mary not calmed down, sit and looked again, she wouldn’t have seen Jesus. What are your worries? what is taking you farther away from your purpose? Don’t be like John and Peter, who were in their purpose but could not see but rushed out of it. They would have had the privilege of seeing Christ first, but due to impatience, they missed it. Like Mary, all you need to clearly see is to sit, look and see what God has in plan for you.
The Holy Spirit is a gentle spirit and does not reside where there is unrest, confusion and commotion. He is only present in the still small voice, a voice that can only be heard when you sit, look and then see.
