Clinging to Him

Musings on John 20:1-18

A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a close friend of mine that changed my whole perception of this resurrection story. He shared with me that he was reading about Mary Magdalene at the tomb in John 20 and said "You know what's incredible? Jesus loved Mary. Mary loved Jesus. And when He said "Don't touch me", like we've always heard, it really means "Stop clinging to me". Wouldn't it be amazing to hold onto Jesus so tightly that He'd have to tell us let go a little?"

Wow.
That wounded me like a knife in the gut. I had never thought of that scene in that way...and I can admit that rarely have I drawn so close to the Savior that He would ever wonder about restraining me from coming closer.

I am humbled when I think of the story of Mary Magdalene. She had been possessed by seven demons before she met Jesus and He graciously healed her. Undoubtedly, her former life was one of immeasurable darkness and torture and bondage. It is interesting that in the Scriptures, the number seven is a number of completeness...what a cruel and seemingly inescapable prison to have seven demons living your soul! But, here beside the tomb of Jesus, she is a free woman...overwhelmed by grief that the Man who saved her life has been stolen from His grave. Completely dumbfounded that the Man she believed to be the Messiah is dead. Lonely for that prized closeness with Love and Light himself.

Notice the first verse: "On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb." She came early...the earliest time of the week at the earliest time of day. She came in the dark. She sought the One she loved before everything else. And who was the first to see the empty tomb of Jesus? Mary.

As she ran to tell the other disciples that He was not there, the news must have been beyond confusing to her finite mind. How could this be? Where is He? In verses 10 and 11, there is a contrast I hadn't noticed until I examined it again. "The disciples went away again to their own homes...but Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb." Jesus' own chosen men left the tomb to go home. In effect, they decided to close up shop because nothing wonderful could happen here at the empty tomb of their Master. But what did Mary do? Overcome with grief and covered in tears, she stood by the tomb and looked for something more. In verse 15, who is the first to see the angels and to be asked that searching question "Why are you weeping?" Mary. This woman who had watched the Light of the Lord Jesus banish her darkness was the first to be introduced to the stunning truth that the Light of the World had conquered even the blackness of death itself. 

Best of all, who was the first to see the Lord Jesus alive again? Mary. She turns to Him, "supposing Him to be the gardener" and asks where he has been laid. And yet, the risen Christ stands right in front of her and, in response, speaks only her name. "Mary." Instantly, everything is clear! Can we even imagine the joy in Mary's heart as she held Him and said "Rabboni!"? Her heart must have been leaping.

She was at the cross. She watched Him die. And now she stands at the empty tomb in His open arms!

Then, she hears these tender words in verse 17; "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and my God and your God." I can't wrap my head or my heart around this verse. I don't think I will ever be able to.

The Lord Jesus had completed everything to rescue a fallen world and bring them into close communion with God once again. Because of His sacrifice, His God is now ours. His Father is now ours by blood. And who does He tell first? A weeping woman that hangs onto Him for dear life. A weak woman He had rescued from the devil's strong grip. Tenderly, Jesus gives the news of His resurrection--the greatest triumph in history--not to His disciples, not to kings and queens and generals, not to crowds of admiring spectators..but to Mary Magdalene who hangs on His neck in tears.

Because she sought Him, because she devoted her whole heart to the only One who could provide the pure love she craved, this woman who had lived in the world's darkness for long enough found the risen Jesus first. And as she clung to Him and then obediently released her hold on Him so He could finally return to His throne in heaven, she taught us all a lesson not to be forgotten.

Seek Him sincerely and seek Him first. Seek Him in your darkness. You will find Him and when you do, cling to Him with everything you have. Because His life is the only life worth clinging to.