Life’s Little Tidbits

John 20:17 (NASB) Jesus said to her (Mary Magdalene), “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”

We have a fairly new granddaughter in our lives. She is as precious as can be and we have fallen in love with her. However, she, in turn, only wants mom. Take her out of sight from mom and let the crying begin. Although not as severe as with outsiders, even when she is with dad she still wants the security and comfort of mom. When mom is within earshot of the crying, she can’t bear to hear her baby in distress. She comes and calms her and loves on her.

In the opening verse above, one of the things that stick out to me is Jesus telling Mary to, “Stop clinging to Me…” Physical contact between a man and woman, that weren’t husband and wife, in those days was not tolerated. So, what was happening here?

Mary had seen, first hand, how Jesus had confronted the religious people of the day. How he told them that feeding the hungry or healing the afflicted on the Sabbath was more important than following the letter of the law. Perhaps a physical embrace of her Lord at that moment was more important than the scrutiny that she would receive from any that might see her. However, if you read the verse carefully, it never says, or even implies, that she physically embraced Jesus.

I don’t believe that her clinging was physical. Joshua 23:8 (NASB) says; “…you are to cling to the LORD your God…” and Psalm 63:8 (NASB) says; “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.” These verses definitely aren’t referring to a physical clinging. It’s about a spiritual clinging. I believe Mary’s soul now felt the salvation power and the love that radiated from the resurrected Jesus. Mary’s spirit, her soul, every part of her being was not only clinging, but didn’t want to let go. Jesus had to break the bond by telling her that there is one more step in our total restoration through Him. He had to ascend and take His place next to the Father and prepare a home for her and us. (John 14:2 – 3)

Like our little granddaughter clings to her mom, thus we should be clinging to our Lord. We shouldn’t allow strangers, or even other familiar faces, to take His place in giving us security and comfort. We need to think (and rightly so) that His love supersedes all others. Mary understood… at least in her spirit. Jesus had died and now had returned to her and she wasn’t letting go this time. Only with His reassurance did she then go and tell the others that He was risen.

Even if you’re reading this and today isn’t Resurrection Sunday, reflect and remember what Jesus did for you on that wonderful, marvelous day. As you do, allow yourself to be drawn closer to Him to the point that you are clinging to Him and don’t want to ever let go. If anyone or anything should try and keep you from seeing Him; let the crying begin! Like mom with the grandbaby… Jesus will come and comfort you and love on you!