Called By Name

Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying.  As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.  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.  “Woman,” he said, “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.”  Jesus said to her “Mary.”  She turned to him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

– John 20:10-16

When Mary Magdalene went to the garden tomb with the other disciples, I am sure the last thing she was expecting to witness was Jesus risen to life, but more importantly, the last thing she expected to hear was Jesus’ loving voice say her name!  Even after Jesus appeared to her and spoke to her in his newly resurrected body, Mary thought that he was the gardener and said if he had carried her Lord away to tell her where he had put him so that she could get him.  She had no idea that she was really speaking to Jesus!  Yet right after her words came out, Jesus did something remarkable to reveal himself to her…  He called her by name!  He said to her, “Mary.”  And immediately the blinders were taken off!  She knew exactly who he was!  He was Jesus, her Lord and Savior!  Then she turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!”  Isn’t it absolutely wonderful to know that you have a loving personal Savior who not only knows you, but calls you by name!!  That is how much he cares about you and loves you!  He loves you on a personal level!  The Lord is not some god made up by human imagination or formed by human hands!!  The Lord is not some impersonal God way up in the heavens that can’t relate to you and only waits around to bring down his punishment on top of your head every single time you mess up!  No!!  Jesus loves you so much that he paid the ultimate price on the cross to have a personal intimate relationship with You!  This loving relationship with Jesus is FREE for everyone to have!  The question is: do you want it??  It is available to you!  Just reach out for him… Jesus is there and he will call you by name!