When HE Speaks Your Name

“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.’ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. ‘Woman,’ he said, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ …she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).”
John 20:13-16

The last few days had been a blur of pain and grief. Peter had denied Christ as had been predicted. Most of the disciples had been hold up, behind locked doors out of fear for who would be the next one to lose their life. You see Friday, the Romans had crucified Jesus - their friend, their teacher, the Messiah - some had watched him take his last breath. They knew he was dead, they knew he had been taken from the cross and quickly put in a tomb. The city that had been in full party mode must have been subdued that Sunday morning. Early Sunday, a small group of women went to the tomb, to properly care for Jesus’ body - but He was gone. An angel told them to go tell the others that Jesus was alive, that the tomb was empty.

Some of the others had come and gone, they weren’t really sure what had happened - even though they were told what to expect. Mary Magdalene had stayed behind, overcome with grief already, grief made worse now because from her perspective - his grave had been robbed. The angels John said were sitting where Jesus had been laid talked to her but could not answer her question. Maybe the man she almost bumped into as she turned to go would have the answer.

Then He spoke her name, can you hear him - how gently and compassionately He must have said her name “Mary.” She’s been talking to him, she’d heard his voice, but it wasn’t until He said her name that she recognized Him. Notice, she didn’t just start asking him all sorts of questions - she just wanted to be close to him because He was there - He had spoken her name, that’s all she needed.

Has He spoken your name? On a mountain top? In the midst of a storm? In the stillness of the morning or in the middle of a long, dark night? If He has - how have you responded? Have you acknowledged him and longed to just be in His presence? Maybe you’ve heard Him speak your name and thought you were just imagining it - so you pushed the voice aside. Maybe your life is just too noisy to hear that gentle, loving, compassionate voice call your name. 

This week, when Jesus speaks your name stop, acknowledge who has spoken to you and rush into His arms. He will change your life when He speaks your name. 

A Prayer
Father – Thank you that you know our names, that you know each of us so well. Help us to hear Jesus when He calls us by name, because it means our lives will change if we let Him work in and through us. Jesus is our Lord and He know us by name, praise the Lord, Amen.