🤏 Touch Me Not
Just a short meditation I had on John 20: 11-18 that I felt called to post—
I kinda felt sad for Mary when Jesus told her Noli Me tangere. If I were her, at the tomb, thinking that someone had stolen my Lord and beloved Teacher’s body, and I’m still 3 days fresh from the grief of witnessing His Crucifixion, I would cry and cry (like the crybaby I know I am). But then boom, the gardener is Him?? Alive?? I would be so overwhelmed with joy and love that I would probably leap into His arms and hug Him so tight so that I wouldnt have to lose Him ever again. perhaps then, He would probably gently peel me from Him and tell me, firmly but lovingly, “Stop holding on to Me, for I need you now to do something else.”
This was probably what He meant, judging from the original translation. Maybe it was also because the transtition state of His body from ressurected to divine also signified a shift in Christ’s relationship with Mary, from human, to spiritual. But maybe, Mary had reacted the same way I would’ve, and held on too much perhaps not on Jesus, but the past—of His role as her earthly Teacher and Friend, His death, of her grief—that it prevented her from moving on to the new mission He had for her: to proclaim His Ressurection.
We can do the same. By holding on too much to the past, we can neglect the future Jesus is asking us to walk into. Change is scary cus it requires us to walk out of whatever we were used to—whatever comfort, hurt, or routine—and into the unknown, where we grow as people and Christians. I would know, since I like predictability, routine. But I also know God isn’t a boring God, and He likes to switch things up so you BETTER be prepared to trust Him and roll with it. He will be with you every step of the way, as long as you stay with Him.
What thing is preventing you know from the new mission or future God is asking you to walk into? Deep breath, and let it go. He will give you something so so much better. trust.