Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Mike Caton

John 20:15, “He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’”

The angels have asked Mary who she is looking for and now the third man asks her the same question. This might have aggravated me somewhat, if I had been there and been asked those questions. I am in a new tomb, only one person has been buried here. Who do you think I am looking for?! And yet they all ask her the same question. It is obvious they know something Mary doesn’t. I wonder why they didn’t just tell her Jesus was alive? But I doubt she would have believed them, she didn’t know who any of them were.

Mary thinks Jesus is the gardener. I wonder why she didn’t recognize him? When she and the other ladies went to the tomb, it was very early in the morning, maybe it was hard to see because it was still a little dark. But after all of this running back and forth, you would think the sun was up. I’m sure Jesus was the last person she thought she’d see, and no doubt she was not looking for him. Maybe it was hard to see through the tears in her eyes. Maybe she was too upset to really look at this stranger. So, she asks him the obvious question. If you have taken him away, tell me where he is and I will take care of the rest.

We have all been in stressful or emotional situations where our thinking became muddled. We were overwhelmed by whatever it was that was going on around us. Things were not what they seemed to be, maybe we didn’t realize who was there with us, or exactly what was going on around us. I suppose we can all relate to Mary here, in some way or the other. But we need to realize that in the midst of such a terrible situation, Jesus was standing right there with her. She didn’t realize it, and we too often don’t as well. We need to slow down, look around, really see and think about what is happening. We will not physically see Jesus standing there, but we know he will be with us. And we simply need to look to him for the strength and wisdom we need.

Father, thank you for being there for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works full time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

READ ABOUT NEWS AND EVENTS HERE.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE COASTLAND TIMES TODAY!