Why are you crying? What are you looking for?

"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" John 20:15

It is the amazing, remarkable ability of a woman to hang on for change. The Syro-Phoneican woman chased after Jesus until her daughter was loosed, she didn't mind the bread was not hers, she would take the crumbs. The woman with the issue of blood pressed on to touch the hem of his garment. Anna stayed in the temple until she saw Jesus. Whoever you are, don't give up, change is coming.

According to John's account in Chapter 20, Mary is first to arrive at the tomb, saw the stone removed and went to tell Peter and John,who came, saw and went home! The Bible tells us that Mary remained at the tomb weeping. Why? I wonder why Mary stood there. Peter and John were part of the 3, the chosen ones closest to Jesus, they were with him in Gethsemane, they were with Him on the mount of transfiguration and yet they went home, maybe their logical minds wanted to ponder on the facts that had been set before them but not Mary, she looked with her heart, He is not here and yet I must see Him, I can't let go of Him yet, I must wait.

I see her in my mind's eye, tears streaming down her face, I imagine what her thoughts are, could it be the very first time she met Jesus, could it be how Jesus had filled every void in her life that she had spent most of her years looking for. And then a man shows up and asks her two important questions!

First, why are you crying? We need to be able to define in words what our needs are, like an onion, we must peel the surface layers of our signs and symptoms and get to the real cracks that lie beneath. What is the hurt? What is the pain you carry? Why am I addicted to things and people that numb the pain, I must look beyond the tears to know the source. In more recent times, I have cried for unfulfilled dreams and desires, unmet needs and expectations and yet Mary was crying because she couldn't find her Lord. Lord, teach me to realise that all I need is you because you own the Master key that keeps every other thing that concerns me in order. Mary didn't realise that although it looked like the love of her life was gone, He wasn't, where she had to go to Him to be with Him, now He was with Her and in Her, she wasn't going to see him physically but He would always be with her. Halleluyah!

Secondly, who is it you are looking for? I'm reminded of a song by U2, 'and I still haven't found what I'm looking for'. Are we looking for a what or a who? Am I looking for a job or a Provider, am I looking for a partner or someone to love me, am I looking for security or freedom, what am I looking for. Nothing on the above list is bad but sometimes it pays to clarify what exactly we are looking for, for how else shall we recognise it when we see it. We should all be looking for Jesus.

Sometimes we look for religion, religion says the tomb is empty, relationship asks "but where is Jesus" and I'm going to wait until I see Him. Easter begins with an empty tomb but more importantly what we celebrate is a Resurrected Christ. So, why are you crying and who is it you are looking for?

Selah!

Compliments of the season to you all. Jesus is enough reason to celebrate! Remember to be a blessing at this time. Thank you so much for taking time to read my musings and for your encouraging comments. I trust that the New Year comes with even greater things in store than we can think or imagine. God bless you.

Xxxxxx

Believer