Daily Digest

9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. 4 “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. 6 “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind. 7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” 8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

This first recorded covenant is extraordinary in so many ways.

Having restored his world after the disastrous destruction brought on it by sin, God begins with a blessing like the one that he first spoke over his creation in Genesis 1:22, 28. He again gives fruitfulness. He again gives us all plants as food. He extends this gift to include animals, but pairs it with a gift to the animals of fear of people. Like all his covenants, he gives far more than he asks.

It’s extraordinary for its breadth: it’s not just a covenant with Noah and his family – it covers all living things. All God’s covenants include the whole world but work through particular groups of people, including you and me. All living things are placed “into Noah’s hand” (translated here as “control”). This is a phrase that is used elsewhere to describe God’s care for his creation as well as his authority over it. We are given an extraordinary role caring for God’s world together with him.

Yet it also reaffirms our unique place in God’s world: uniquely made in God’s image. The word translated here as “likeness” also has includes his intention that we should represent him to his world. All the life he gives is to be respected, but God himself holds all living things accountable for the life he gives us.

Father, it’s so extraordinary that you establish relationship with us. It’s so extraordinary, Jesus, that you gave your life to save ours. It’s so extraordinary that you give us the role of working with you to care for your world, and to speak for you into your world.

Written by David Cornell

8 But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. 2 Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky. 3 The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down, 4 and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible. 6 After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. 10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. 12 He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him. 13 By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 14 By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry. 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.” 18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another.

“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark.”

Have you ever thought God has forgotten you?  You have prayed for days, weeks, months even years for a particular change in circumstances, perhaps for your healing, or a relationship or financial freedom.  Let me assure you, you’re not alone in feeling like you are forgotten.

In our digital age, when everything must happen in the instant and to our satisfaction, we can get impatient, insistent with God and try to take things into our own hands.  Alternately we become passive, not active in our believing for God to actually breakthrough undermining our prayerfulness and faith.

We read here that God ‘remembered’ Noah and the animals.  Clearly, God was aware of what was happening for Noah, the earth and the animals.  But a process of time needed to be completed.  This passing of time can be the difficult to navigate as we so often do not know what is happening, which may be as natural a process as was happening here with the flood.  But we should not think God has forgotten us.  He has not forgotten us, He is awaiting the opportune time.

Father, help me to be expectantly patient, full of faith in the waits that I am currently experiencing prior to the deliverance You alone can bring.

Written by Ps. Richard Botta

7 The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, 3 and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. 4 Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, 9 male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.

For those of us who grew up going to church, the story of Noah is so very familiar. Trying to read it with fresh eyes, I can see how this narrative may seem hard to believe for some.

But at its heart, Noah’s story is a picture of faith. In Hebrews 11:7 we read,

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”

The verse in Hebrews 11:6, just prior to this, tells us that “he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him”.

We walk by faith and not by sight. If I try to base my life on what I can see and understand, I will be severely hampered by my own limited abilities to see.

Faith in God has guided my life for as long as I can remember. Of course I do not have all of the answers to life’s big questions (and many of the small ones for that matter), but faith in God has given me a solid foundation, deep meaning and purpose and hope for the future.

The benefits of faith have been immense and far too many to recount here, but I can absolutely testify of the rewards of a life of seeking God, and I am so very grateful.

Written by Shelley Witt

5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

How interesting that Noah was the only human on the earth that God was pleased with. I can understand how God could look at the world then (and now) and be so grieved by the capacity humans have for cruelty, manipulation & selfishness. Yet what was it about Noah that made him stand out? There’s no way he was sinless – his humanity would have discounted him from perfection for sure. However verses 8-9 tell us that Noah indeed found favour and that he walked faithfully with God.

The idea of favour from God is based on His unmerited grace, which Noah received because he was faithful to God in the day to day. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for Noah to stay on a godly path when everyone else around him was not living righteously, yet he chose to live a life that was pleasing to God.

How important faithfulness is to God; it was the redeeming factor that saved Noah, and in the same way it is what God is searching for in you and I as He looks upon us. He knows we will never achieve perfection aside from through salvation in Christ. Yet He seeks for us to live in a way that honours Him in the choices we make.

God, help me to have the same faithfulness to you that Noah had. Help me to cling to who you are and to how you want me to live, despite what the world around me may look like. Thank you for your continual unmerited grace. Amen.

Written by Ps Madelaine Tarasenko

25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26 After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died. 28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah[a] and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.” 30 After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died. 32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Have you ever wondered about your family genealogy? Wondered what your distant relatives were like? Wondered how they lived and what life might have been like for them?

Well this passage is an old genealogy where we get a glimpse of life for Lamech. We hear his prayer and the naming of his son Noah.  Lamech chose this name as “Noah” sounded like the word for relief or comfort. Lamech had plans for Noah: he needed a son to help with their hard work of farming.

However, while Lamech had a purpose in having a son, God’s plans and purposes for Noah were much broader. In the coming passages, we see that God had a bigger purpose for “relief” (salvation?) through Noah’s life.

As I read this passage, I am reminded that God’s plans and purposes for my life go way beyond what I see or imagine and that my life plays a part in God’s great story. I am reminded that I am created on purpose which goes way beyond my plan, my parents plan, and even the enemy’s plan. God’s plan for me is beyond the here and now, and beyond what I can see.

I wonder how many of my prayers are small and limited to my immediate situation?

Father, help me to live beyond the realm of here and now, beyond my situation and to trust Your plans and purposes instead. May I not try to make You fit into my life, but remember that I play a part in Your plans and purposes.

Written by Gab Martin

17 Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. 19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. 24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.” 25 Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

This passage is hard to understand, however if you read all of Genesis 4 it is evident the violent nature of Cain was passed down the family lineage to Lamech who boasted that any wrong-doing against him would be meet with great vengeance. Seventy-seven times to be exact.

V23-24 was in fact a poem known as the ‘Song of the Sword’ and was a warning that there was no forgiveness to be found if you transgressed against Lamech.

Regarding wrong-doing against a person the ‘Law of Moses’ taught there was to be an ‘eye for an eye’ meaning punishment should be in proportion to the crime. However, Jesus taught that for God’s people forgiveness is the only response to wrong-doing. In Matthew 18:21,22 and referring to the ‘Song of the Sword’ Jesus said we are to forgive seventy-seven times when a person sins against us.

I don’t know about you, but I am just not that forgiving, and in fact I don’t think anyone is that forgiving unless God has first empowered them. It certainly takes practice to forgive others.

So, how forgiving are you? Will you forgive the small stuff, can you forgive the big stuff?

Look for an opportunity to practice forgiveness today. It doesn’t have to be big, but it does have to be genuine.

Lord, I ask you today, in the same way you have forgiven us of our misdeeds against you, please empower us to forgive those who have done wrong against us.

Amen!

Written by David Newton

4 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

I have always wondered what the difference between Abel and Cain’s offerings were?  What made one pleasing to God and what made one not pleasing to God?  Cain’s worship was not acceptable, whereas Abel’s worship was. The difference between the two offerings is not clear in the passage in an explicit sense.  Was it that Cain’s offering was not accepted because it was not a blood sacrifice – there is no evidence for this and it seems that both offerings, in themselves, were acceptable.  Cain’s offering of “fruits of the soil” (v.3) was as appropriate for his occupation as Abel’s “firstborn of his flock” (v.4) was for his occupation as a shepherd it seems to me.  So I do not think it is the offering that was acceptable or not.  It seems to me I should look deeper at the attitude of the giver rather than adequacy of the gift.  Whatever the cause of God’s rejection of Cain’s offering, Cain’s response was twofold: (1) anger against God and (2) anger against his brother.  This shows something of Cain’s heart.

I am struck by the heart of Cain.  What is in my heart?  Am I open hearted to God and to others.  Do I truly love the Lord with all my heart or do I bring ‘offerings’ that are actually unacceptable because of a bad attitude.

Father, keep my heart clean before You – give me courage to be truly open to You.

Written by Ps. Richard Botta

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Sin breaks our intimacy with God and has a very high cost. Before Adam and Eve took and ate the fruit they were in an intimate relationship with God. They felt no shame before Him or before each other. This sin not only resulted in the loss of intimacy with God but also with each other. When we sin we can feel unworthy or ashamed to come before God. When our sin is exposed we want to cover up and not let God or others know what we’ve done. We don’t want this sin to be exposed before others or before God. But God doesn’t want us to cover up – He wants to restore relationship with us. We can come back into His intimate embrace because of what Christ has done. There is no condemnation when we are followers of Christ.  There is no shame. Take off the fig leaves of shame and walk in intimate relationship with God.

My Father, I come to you in repentance of my sins. I come to you no longer ashamed but claim the victory that Christ has over my sins. How amazing Lord that nothing can separate me from your love.  You know me and you love me. I praise you for your faithfulness and eternal love for me. Amen

Written by Meredith O’Neill

10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

This is not about geography. We’re not sure what the Pishon is, but the other rivers are nowhere near each other. They are all the most significant rivers in the Middle East: they are where major civilizations began because they bring life giving water into dry places. They bring fertility and prosperity – not just enough: they each flood to bring an excessive bounty. Here we have a picture of abundant life and sustenance and blessing and prosperity flowing from the place where God is, to be a generous blessing to the whole world.

It reminds me of the vision in Ezekiel 47:1-12 of a river flowing out from the temple (again the place of God’s presence) to bless the whole world. It starts as a trickle and builds into a flood, cleaning what is poisoned (the Dead Sea), giving life to what is dead and making what is barren fruitful. God takes Ezekiel right into that river of life, at first up to his ankles, then wading up to his knees, and then so deep he would have to swim to cross it.

Then Jesus tells us in John 7:37-39 that the He is the source of this blessing. All who believe in Jesus will have rivers of living water flowing out from them. That river of life is the Holy Spirit.

God’s overwhelming river of blessing, his Holy Spirit, flows out from his presence. As we immerse ourselves in him that river of life doesn’t just flow out to us, it flows through us to bless and give life to the whole world.

Oh Holy Spirit, don’t just flow – flood through me today. Bring life and blessing to all around me.

Written by David Cornell

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

I don’t for a minute think that God really needed to rest, though we see here that He did once the heavens and earth were completed. As a good Father, he is modelling for us what He knew we would need, to rest. A Sabbath. A day that God himself has called holy. We can go and go and go, but if we do not rest, we will not thrive. Our bodies are hard-wired for down time and rest.

A day to honour God for our lives and all he has created, a day we can come to worship him and where better to do that than church. For a short while we come & stop; worship, reflect, reset our hearts, hear what the Holy Spirit is saying through the preaching/teaching of the Word to us. Time to be built up and encouraged by other believers. A day to honour God.

In our culture, Sunday is still set aside for this (though this is being eroded), if this is not possible then I need to make sure I find another time to do this. God himself has set this aside for us, Jesus honoured the Sabbath – as a believer I can’t do any less.

Lord thank you that you care so much for your creation, not just people, but all creatures and the land, that you have hard-wired us to need a rest day. Lord forgive me where I have not done this. Lord God I honour you today. Amen

Written by Suzie Hodgson

14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. 20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. 24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

It’s hard for my modern mind to get around the repeated phrase, “And God said…and it was so.” That as God spoke, this universe came into being.

Words are cheap these days. There’s apparently 30 trillion words on the internet alone. So many words, so many that I have no connection with, value for, or understanding of.

God’s words are not cheap at all. God’s spoken word has made Galaxies like our Milky Way, and birds like the eagle, and animals like the African lion. Wow God, when you speak, magnificent things come into existence.

Lord, let me hear your voice for the magnificent that you unlock and create when you speak. In me. In those around me. And in the world today. Hallelujah!

Written by Ps. Rob Waugh

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

I can remember about 12 years ago when I was having a particularly difficult time, I would keep going over and over the hurts, difficulties and struggles that seemingly were ‘tied’ to me.  I found that I just couldn’t let them go and find freedom.  I remember my Pastor calling me one day and giving me this scripture.

She said to me “Sue, you cannot look at others.  You cannot compare yourself or wonder why their life is like one thing and yours another.  “You must still keep on following me!”  Another version says “YOU – Follow Me”.

I learnt from that moment that if we live a life of comparison we will forever be looking around rather than straight ahead at Jesus.  We will be looking at others and driven by comparison and not find rest in Him.

When we Follow Him – our eyes are focussed on Him; His purpose – therefore My purpose; His calling – therefore MY calling; His future – therefore MY future.

If you struggle with comparison like Peter did and like I did, I encourage you to hear Jesus afresh to you today – and Follow Him.  Focus your eyes on HIM and He will come into focus and light your way.

Lord, I pray that for each of us we would not look to others, to the right or to the left – but to YOU.  Help each one of us today to break free from the bondage of performance and enter the freedom of calling.

Written by Ps. Sue Botta

21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

This is a familiar post resurrection story. Peter and a few disciples decided to go fishing but they don’t catch anything. Nothing. We are also told that this is the third time that Jesus had appeared to his disciples.

Not the first time, but the third time. And this time, Jesus finds them fishing for fish.

It would be easy to think that Jesus could have told them off, for being in the boat fishing for fish and not doing what he had trained them to be and that was to be fishers of men. But that is not how Jesus talks to us. He doesn’t say to us, “how many times do I have to tell you…?”

Instead, Jesus sees them, sees their struggle – they haven’t caught anything at all. He reveals himself to them AGAIN as their provider and fills their nets. He also prepares breakfast for them on the beach.

Jesus doesn’t talk to us as we think we deserve, instead in his great love for us, he talks to us as we need to hear. When we make mistakes, he isn’t yelling at us, he is loving us. He doesn’t turn away from us, he stays with us and provides for us, whatever that could be, even breakfast on the beach.

Jesus, thank you for loving us, for being patient with us, and always speaking to us as we need even when we think we don’t deserve it.

Written by Andrew Martin

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Mary is deeply distressed and confused because she does not know where Jesus’ body has been taken. In the midst of this Jesus appears to her, replacing her distress with joy and her confusion with peace. I can hear the joy and hope in her voice as she declares to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!”

Jesus longs to do the same for me, that I would seek Him and invite Him into my distress and confusion, and trust Him to bring me joy and peace.

Jesus, please forgive me for all the times I have sought to bury my distress and confusion, or manufacture peace myself. Help me to quickly bring my distress and confusion before you, and trust that you will bring me joy and peace. Amen.

Written by Ps. Beth Waugh