A Prayer of Hope and Revelation: Seeking the Risen Lord
"But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her." - John 20:11-18
Heavenly Father,
In the stillness of this moment, we pause to come before You with hearts heavy yet hopeful, just as Mary stood weeping at the sepulchre. Lord, how profound it is to meditate upon the scene captured in John 20:11-18, where grief enveloped Mary Magdalene as she searched for the body of her beloved Savior.
O Lord, how often do we find ourselves standing in our own sepulchres of despair, sorrow, and confusion. We look into the darkness, and all we see is the absence of what we hold dear. In those moments, we feel as though we are alone in our grief, echoing Mary’s lament, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.”
Grant us, O God, the wisdom to know that even when we feel abandoned, You are close to us. You know our pain, Lord, and in our weeping, You ask us gently, “Why weepest thou?” Help us to shift our focus from our current troubles to seek Your presence in our lives.
Lord, we bring before You every situation that makes us weep—every loss, every disappointment, every anxiety that weighs heavy on our hearts. We lay them at Your feet, believing that as Mary gazed into the tomb, she ultimately found consolation and hope in her risen Lord. Just as You ministered to her grief with the promise of Your presence, we ask that You soothe our hearts with Your love.
As Mary turned away from the sepulchre, her heart was still burdened until she heard Your voice calling her name: “Mary.” Oh, how powerful it is to know that You call us by name, Lord! We are not lost to You; our identities are cherished by You. Let us hear Your voice amidst the chaos in our lives. When we feel unseen or unloved, remind us that You know us intimately.
May we rediscover our identity as Your beloved children, worthy of love and grace. Empower us, God, to respond like Mary, who upon recognizing You declared, “Rabboni,” embracing the joy of knowing You fully and personally. Let our hearts burst forth with the same enthusiasm to share our encounter with others, proclaiming, “I have seen the Lord!”
Father, in Mary’s call to her brethren, we see a powerful reminder of our commission. Help us to be messengers of the Good News, spreading hope to those around us who may be standing in their sepulchres of despair. Let us offer encouragement and strength, sharing the joy of resurrection—that grief may give way to joy, darkness may transform into light.
As we continue in our journey, let us take comfort in the assurance that You have ascended to the Father, and through Your resurrection, You’ve paved the way for us. Your ascension is not an abandonment but a culmination of promise, affirming our relationship with the Father.
Oh Lord, we pray for a fresh encounter with You each day. May our spiritual lives overflow with the awareness of Your guiding presence. Help us to recognize You in every moment, be it during our tears or our joys.
Thank You, Jesus, for knowing our wounds and still choosing to love us. Thank You for being our Rabboni, our Master, and for calling us to a life of purpose and connection.
In Your precious name, we pray,
Amen.
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John 20:11-18 Artwork
John 20:11-18 - "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."
"But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her." - John 20:11-18
John 20:11-12
John 20:11-13
John 20:11 - "¶ But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,"
John 11:18 - "Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:"
Matthew 11:18 - "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil."
John 20:18 - "Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."
John 11:20 - "Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house."
Acts 20:11
"¶ But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre," - John 20:11
John 18:20 - "Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing."
John 18:11 - "Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?"
Matthew 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
"Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:" - John 11:18
John 11:20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.
John 11:20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.
"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil." - Matthew 11:18
"Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house." - John 11:20
John 7:17-18
John 7:17-18
John 20;18
"Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her." - John 20:18
John 20:21
John 7:17-18
John 7:17-18
John 18:25
john 18:36
John 20:14
John 20:27