Jesus’ Perfect Timing
The Lord knows the right moment to show up.
Hope is such a powerful force. While there is hope, anything is possible. Without hope, life has no meaning. For a Christian, hope comes from faith. Here is the definition of faith from the Bible:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV, emphasis added by the author)
Christian hope is not wishful thinking. It is our faith in action. We put our hope in what we believe. Christians put their hope in Jesus Christ and what the Bible teaches about him, what he accomplished with his death and resurrection, and our future as children of God. The events narrated in the Bible solidify our confidence in what expects us after this life is over.
But, have you ever thought about what would it be like if the reason for our hope were taken away from us?
Mary Magdalene at Jesus’ Burial Place
One of my favorite episodes in the Bible is when Mary Magdalene meets Jesus after his resurrection (John 20:1–20). This episode shows how Jesus cares for each person, like Mary, and how he did the unexpected to reach out to her when she needed him the most.
Mary Magdalene believed Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, as he claimed to be. He was the one that was going to free Israel from the Roman ruling, or so they thought. They thought, if God was with him, nothing bad could happen… right?
However, Jesus was killed. Mary watched him die (John 19:25–26). She saw when his body was laid on the tomb (Matthew 27:57–61).
It was not only about losing a loved one. Mary lost her hope as well. She had found a reason to live, someone to believe in. But, just like that, he was gone. Jesus was dead. It seemed that there was nothing anyone could do about it. What would she do with her life now?
The Bible tells us that Mary went to Jesus’ tomb on Sunday morning. She wanted to anoint his body for the burial (Mark 16:1). She got there before sunrise. We can see she was anxious to make that last tribute for him. But she had no idea what she would find there…
The Empty Tomb
When Mary got to Jesus’ burial place, she saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb’s entrance. She didn’t expect that, for sure.
Mary and other women who were there entered the tomb. That’s when they saw that Jesus’ body was missing (Luke 24:1–3). Mary ran to tell the disciples that someone had taken Jesus’ body, and they didn’t know where they had put him.
Can you imagine that? Not only had Jesus been brutally tortured and killed, but now someone had taken his body away. Or so she thought.
It was more than she could bear. And Jesus knew that.
Jesus Surprises Mary
Mary went back to the tomb and stood there crying. Then, in an unexpected turn of events, Jesus showed up! Mary didn’t recognize him at first. She certainly didn’t expect to see him alive.
But when she heard his voice, she knew it was him. She burst with joy and moved towards him. Then he interrupted her and said:
“Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20:17 NIV)
The most important event of all time was unwinding that very morning, and it wasn’t finished yet. Still, Jesus decided to stop by and talk to Mary. He wanted her to know that he was alive. He didn't want her to wait any longer.
The redemption plan was not yet fully finished (he still needed to ascend to the Father), but he had to pause it for a few moments. He had to attend to Mary and his disciples. They all needed hope.
When Jesus died, Mary was suffering beyond what we can imagine. She hadn’t just lost a friend. She had lost her Savior and her Lord. And knowing that his body was taken away was more than she could bear.
She needed to know that Jesus was alive, that everything was in control. She had to hang on a little longer, and the plan would be completed. Most of all, she and his disciples needed to know that his death wasn’t the end, it was just a new beginning.
Our Hope Today
Jesus still has the same message for all of us: God has a perfect plan. Everything happens at the right time. But, sometimes, it seems impossible to wait. I know that!
Sometimes we are in such a difficult situation that we want it to end. We need it to end. Right now! It seems that waiting just a little longer is more than we can bear.
In those moments, if you look for Jesus, like Mary did, you will find Him alive and well and, most of all, still in control. He will find a way to tell you to hang on a little longer. We cannot see Jesus as Mary did, but we can still hear his voice through the Scripture and the Holy Spirit.
So, make sure to keep praying and reading the Bible. That’s how we keep in touch with him. He will be there with you through it all, even if you don’t see or recognize him.
Wait for the right time: His time. And then, a new beginning will flourish in your life.
Just don’t lose hope. And keep trusting him.
Did you enjoy this article? Leave a comment and follow me for more.
