2 minute read.
Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 18:1-19:10 ESV, John 20:1-31 ESV, Psalm 119:153-176 ESV, Proverbs 16:14-15 ESV
Daily Verse: “Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.””(John 20:15 ESV)
KEPOUROS (2780): “(a warden); a garden-keeper, i.e. gardener.”[i]
Tending garden.
Mary, finding an empty tomb, doesn’t recognize Jesus. Instead, she confuses the risen Savior with the gardener. When Jesus says her name, Mary recognizes the voice and turns to Him with renewed hope.
Jesus tends the gardens of our hearts, knowing what we need and when. Saying Mary’s name restored her hope, making the garden of her soul flourish. At that moment, Mary understood Jesus overcame death once and for all. No longer did she need to fear.
Listen for Jesus.
Amid Mary’s heartache, Jesus says her name. Hearing the Savior’s voice healed the crevice in her heart caused when Jesus died on the cross. God doesn’t abandon us; He calls to us. Remembering Jesus helps us focus on God’s power instead of our pain.
Praying for people suffering from broken hearts always includes a standard request from me. “Lord, let them feel your presence in the moment’s darkness.” Pain isolates us in ways we can’t imagine. God understands our hurts and chases after us.
I withdraw from Ron during marital spats, not wanting to talk to Him. But Ron never lets me go; he always comes after me, which helps me drop my defenses and trust him more. God does the same for us. We might withdraw in anger, but Jesus wraps His arms around us and calls our name.
Let Jesus tend to your heart today. Tell God your hurts, allow Him to comfort you. Imagine Jesus calling your name, restoring your hope, helping your heart heal from its pains. In Christ, we can live life fully, knowing He journey’s with us wherever we go.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 138) Thomas Nelson
