God is Faithful to Provide All We Need to Believe
I love how faithfully God provides. My sweet Pastor husband and I have experienced His provision in many ways. From supplying just the right dollar amount for an unexpected car repair to giving us peace and wisdom in a painful situation to revealing clear direction for a new season in life. Again and again, God has provided.
God Provided for Mary Magdalene
Recently, I read the story of Jesus’ resurrection in John 20. Holy Spirit pointed out to my soul how God provided exactly what Mary Magdalene needed to move forward. You see, Jesus’ death crushed Mary and grief consumed her. I imagine she was so despondent that even everyday tasks felt difficult.
If you were to ask me how I visualize Mary’s visit to Jesus’ tomb, I would tell you she came, saw the stone rolled away and angels guarded the door. Matthew is the only Gospel that gives that specific description. Mark, Luke, and John, all place the angel, or angels, inside the tomb, though they differ in when the women encountered them.
My childhood image probably came from the flannel graph stories I heard growing up. Is it significant where the women found the angels and when? Perhaps not, but John’s account differed enough from my expectations to make me pause.
Holy Spirit used that gap in my perception to reveal truth about who God is. God is our provider. In the story in John 20, God provides for Mary Magdalene exactly what she needed at that point in her journey.
God Provided in Mary Magdalene’s Grief
Mary’s grief was so intense it overwhelmed her. John 20:1 tells us she arrived at the tomb at “O-dark-thirty”—the hour when you have either been awake all night or are so groggy you barely know you are moving. I suspect Mary had not slept; the death of Jesus shattered her heart, and she simply wanted to care for the body of her Lord.
In addition, Mary’s grief left her distraught. In John 20, verses two, thirteen, and fifteen, Mary repeats the theory that someone stole Jesus’ body. Her greatest fear after Jesus died seemed to have come true, and she had been unable to properly prepare Him for burial. Engulfed in loss, she couldn’t imagine another explanation for the empty tomb.
God was fully aware of Mary, her emotions, and her struggle. As I read John 20, Holy Spirit pointed out to me how God tenderly and compassionately provided what Mary needed to bring her to complete faith. God met Mary in her need and led her through each encounter at the tomb enabling her to move forward into the life He had for her.
God Provides what is Needed to Believe
Holy Spirit first drew my attention to the contrast between Mary and the two disciples. Peter and John were able to leave the tomb, but Mary could not. Mary was unable to push past what she feared. After John entered the tomb and saw the linens lying there, he believed (John 20:8). God saw Mary with her brokenness and provided what she needed to believe as well.
Most of us can identify a time in our lives when we felt a bit like Mary Magdalene. We faced circumstances beyond our capacity to manage. Emotionally, we were stuck in a pattern that left us unable to fully function. Like a car stuck in the mud or snow, we spun our wheels without moving forward. Yet God was always near.
God Provided Simple Steps for Mary Magdalene
Holy Spirit then revealed to me how God patiently prepared Mary to recognize the resurrected Jesus. Rather than overpower her with everything at once, He provided small, simple steps that Mary could receive and understand.
- God provided an empty tomb.
- God provided the support of friends like Peter and John, so she knew she wasn’t alone on this journey.
- God provided angels to lead her to see beyond this world.
- God provided the presence of Jesus though Mary thought He was the gardener at first.
- God provided His voice calling her name.
Bit by bit God gave Mary the truth she was capable of receiving. He knew she was grieving, broken, overwhelmed, and confused. He understood her longing to care for Jesus, serve Him, and honor Him as Lord. God led Mary through a process whereby she could release her fears and embrace the truth and hope of Jesus’ resurrection.
God Provided a Place for Mary Magdalene in His Mission
Lastly, Holy Spirit showed me God included Mary in His story and provided a role for her in His mission. God didn’t exclude Mary because she struggled. He did not leave her behind because she was too emotional. God didn’t reject Mary because she struggled to recognize the resurrected Christ at first glance. Instead, God honored Mary for her devotion to Him.
God Provides for Each of Us
My heart needed Mary Magdalene’s story. Perhaps your heart needs it as well. The God who patiently provided for Mary still meets us in the same personal, step-by-step way. He draws near to us and meets us in our pain and confusion. He does not overwhelm us with knowledge we are unable to process. Instead, God provides small chunks, tiny steps for us to navigate, so we can move toward a fresh understanding of who He is and how He loves us.
Today you may need God’s step-by-step provision to lead you toward the part He wants you to play in His story and His mission. God knows the path necessary to lead you to complete faith and freedom, just like He knew what to offer Mary Magdalene. He isn’t put off by your emotions, pain, confusion, or fear.
You may not be currently struggling personally, but someone you love is. Perhaps you love someone who is facing cancer, financial ruin, or is a prodigal. You ache for the one you love, and more than anything, you want God to work a miracle and bring him or her to health, healing, and wholeness.
Allow me to remind you, the one you love is on a journey just like Mary Magdalene, just like you. God will provide what he or she needs to recognize Jesus for who He is. He will guide your loved one through each necessary step until he or she can declare “I have seen the Lord!” We can trust the wisdom of His provision.
God is a Faithful Provider
God is our faithful provider. He sees us and knows our various needs; from financial needs to more peace and/or wisdom, to clear direction for our life. He journeys with us through each and every step, just as He did with Mary, and He reveals the resurrected Jesus. With eyes and ears opened by Holy Spirit, we see the Lord and rejoice in His love and faithful provision.
John 20 Photo by Anuja Tilj on Unsplash
