The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 22 July 2024 – Waiting Pays
TOPIC: Waiting Pays
READ: John 20:11-18 (NKJV)
- But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down [and looked] into the tomb.
- And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
- Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
- Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing [there,] and did not know that it was Jesus.
- Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
- Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
- Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and [to] My God and your God.’ “
- Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and [that] He had spoken these things to her.
THE MESSAGE:
After Peter and John left the tomb and went home, Mary Magdalene remained outside the tomb. She was waiting and desiring to know what happened to Jesus’ body. As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb. Then she got a revelation of two angels in the tomb who asked her why she was weeping. Her response suggested she was looking for Jesus’ body. On turning around, she saw a man who asked her why she wept and who she was seeking. As the man called her name, “Mary”, she recognised that it was the voice’ of Jesus. Jesus then gave her a message for the disciples.
Many people are always eating “fast food”, driving on the fast lane, using the fast internet and looking for quick means of making wealth. People do not like to wait for anything many find it very hard to wait on God. Do you make out time to wait on God for counsel in his word? Do you wait on God in fasting and prayers? Learn to carve out time to be in God’s presence and wait to hear Him. You will surely find Him (Jeremiah 29:13)
PRAYER: Gracious Father, grant me the grace to wait on You for my miracle.
