CLINGING
07th Sep 2016
When Jesus encountered Mary Magdalene after the resurrection; she was in a distressed state realising that Jesus’ body was no longer in the tomb, but desperate to know where He had been taken. When she met Jesus, she thought He might be the gardener, but when He called her name she knew Him, but tried to cling to Him. Jesus said, “Don’t cling to me for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am returning to my Father and your father, to my God and your God.” (John 20:17)
He could have been simply stating facts - it would be six weeks before He ascended - she would have many opportunities to see Him, so she didn’t need to hold on in case He disappeared. Somehow I feel it was more than this; maybe He felt a drawing off Him that didn’t feel quite right. Possibly the human comfort she sought would not satisfy her for long, and He pointed her to the only real source of satisfaction - His God, but now her God, His Father but now her Father.
Certainly that was the message He gave her, and told her to give to the other equally hurting friends and disciples. We need to cling to our Father God, to His Spirit, to the resources of heaven. He does live in and work through human agents, but they can never be a substitute for a relationship with God himself made possible by the death and resurrection. Is this why Jesus said, “And do not call anyone on earth ‘father’.” (Matthew 23:9)
Beware of clinging to people, and keep your eyes and heart focussed on the God who loves, who heals, who alone can be all you need, as the well known song says:
You are the God who lives
You are the God who heals
Who are my hope my everything
You brought salvation to us
Offered your peace to the earth
You are my Lord
My everything
I'll trust in You
I'll trust in You
I'll trust in You
With all my heart
by Joyce Sibthorpe
