Empty and Full

Mary Magdalene pressed a hand against her aching heart. “How do I still
have tears left in me?” She had been mourning for three days, along with
others who were Jesus’s friends, followers, and family, but the realization
was still sinking in: he was actually gone. It was dawn on the third day,
and Mary couldn’t wrap her mind around it—her heart was empty, and so was
the tomb. She couldn’t even anoint his body for burial; someone had taken
it away.

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“I don’t understand,” Mary wept, “You were strong enough to cast the seven
demons out of me—you set me free. Why did you have to die? Why didn’t you
put a stop to that crucifixion? Where are you now?” Mary clutched at the
cold stone of the tomb to steady her shaking knees. She bent to peer into
its emptiness once more.

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Mary gasped. The tomb wasn’t empty! Two angels dressed in brilliant white
were sitting where Jesus’s body had been, one of them perched by the cloth
that had been wrapped around her Lord’s head. This angel was swinging his
feet and smiling, the other was gazing at Mary with compassion. His voice
carried over to her, soft and musical. “Why are you crying?”

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“They have taken my Lord!” A sob stuck in Mary’s throat. “I don’t know
where he is…” The unspoken words echoed in her heart, “Everything is
empty without Him.”

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Exhausted with grief, she turned back to the tomb’s opening to take a deep
breath, and there was a man standing before her. His eyes radiated warmth
and kindness, which only made Mary cry harder. Then he asked, “Who are you
looking for?”

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“This must be the gardener,” Mary thought. “Maybe he knows where my Jesus
is!” “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where, and I will get him!”

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“Mary.” That one word—her name—spoken soft as a spring rain falling on hard
ground… Mary knew only one voice could speak her name in such a way. She
looked up at him. “Teacher!”

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Sorrow fled from her soul like the breaking of dawn—her Lord, her Jesus,
was alive! He had driven the seven demons out of her tortured body, and now
He had conquered death itself. All that once ached empty inside her was now
full—full to overflowing. • Savannah Coleman

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• This story is how one author imagined what it was like for Mary Magdalene
on Easter morning. Read John 20:1-18. What sticks out to you about Mary’s
encounter with Jesus?

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• Today, Christians around the world are celebrating Jesus’s resurrection
from the dead! Why can remembering the empty tomb fill us with joy?

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Jesus willingly died for us so that we could be God’s people and have life
“to the full” (John 10:10)—a life of freedom and forgiveness. Jesus shed
His own blood on the cross for us, covering our sins and making the way for
us to have a restored relationship with the living God (Romans 10:9-10).
This is what makes our story different from every other religion: we serve
a God who gave up His own life for ours, and He is alive! If you’ve already
put your trust in Jesus, who is someone you could share this good news
with? Consider taking a moment to pray for this person now, asking God to
help them know the truth of His love for them. If you’re not sure about
trusting in Jesus, that’s okay—God doesn’t rush us, and He invites us to
ask questions and wrestle with Him. What questions do you have about Jesus?
Who is a trusted Christian you’d feel comfortable bringing these questions
to? (You can also read more about Jesus on our “Know Jesus” page.)

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“I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am
the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 10:10b-11 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Luke.8.1-Luke.8.3|John.10.1-John.10.18|John.20.1-John.20.18