Easter

“She turned around to see Jesus standing before her, but she did not recognize Him.” (John 20:14 VOICE)

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus. She expected a sealed burial chamber, but it was open. She expected a covered, dead body, but the tomb was empty. She expected the disciples to make sense of it all and explain things to her, but they didn’t. What she did not expect was the risen Lord, speaking to her, calling her by name. Thus, she did not recognize Him. 

This happens to all of us. We expect certain things from Jesus--answered prayers, protection from evil, relationship advice, healing, meeting our daily needs, assistance in making good decisions, etc. However, we don’t really expect the Lord to show up in our lives, to speak to us, or to be close to us. Thus, we fail to recognize Jesus in our midst. Yet, He is always present--on the good days and the bad, during joy and despair, in crowds and in solitude. He is with us every day, all the time, whether we acknowledge Him or not. 

“Never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.” (Matthew 28:20 TPT)