Faith’s Inception
Sunday, April 5
John 20:1-8
The race to discovery. Peter’s careful, almost forensic examination of the tomb gave official confirmation of what had happened. While the men “saw and believed” (v. 8), it was Mary Magdalene who first journeyed to the tomb, arriving “while it was still dark” (v. 1). In the darkness every step brought uncertainty—Mary could not have known what awaited her, yet she became the first witness to the resurrection. On Easter, many sermons highlight how the male disciples hurried to the tomb, carefully examining every detail from these witnesses. Their actions become a powerful example of faith: they saw and believed. It will be noted that their faith
is passionate and urgent, seen in their wild sprint to the tomb.
Although Peter’s standing as leader and disciple may have given him naming rights, it was Mary’s first movements of love, mercy, and loyalty that credit her with the inception of gospel-telling. So often the early inklings, vision, ideas, and efforts of some are overlooked while the authorizations of the powerful shape the narrative. But can we not imagine that the Spirit was compelling, urging, and first-moving Mary Magdalene in the predawn darkness of that day, guiding her through her confusion toward the news of a world with the resurrected Christ?
Gracious God, thank you for Mary Magdalene’s example, reminding us that faith often means moving forward in darkness and trusting your Spirit’s prompting. Help us to listen for your voice when our path is uncertain. Give us courage to move even without clarity, believing you guide each step. May your Spirit spark in us love and loyalty like Mary’s—quick to seek you, eager to witness your power, faithful to share hope. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Fuller Understanding
Monday, April 6
JOHN 20:9-10
In John’s resurrection narrative, echoes of creation appear as darkness gives way to light and new orientation. Mary Magdalene journeys in predawn darkness, motivated by her love for Jesus. On her word, Peter and the other disciple rush to the tomb, examining the linens and separate cloths—details that mirror the Creator bringing order from chaos. Yet verse 9 notes that their understanding is incomplete: “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead” (NIV). Their faith is still unfolding. Faith is a journey, blending
heart and mind, emotion and thought with Christ’s actual presence.
The disciples “return to where they were staying” (v. 10) to process
what they have witnessed.
Meanwhile, Mary has a deeply emotional exchange with two angels, expressing her sorrow and loss. Faith calls for closeness with Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus speaks Mary’s name as she approaches. He later appears to the other disciples, inviting them to touch his risen body. His presence brings meaning to the Scriptures and to their experiences, which only the resurrected Messiah can provide. Christ fulfills the Scriptures and breathes life into us—healing, renewing, redeeming,
and reorienting us.
Risen Lord, thank you for your presence that brings understanding, healing, and hope. Help us to journey with you even when we do not fully comprehend. Breathe new life into our hearts. May we trust your living presence to reorient us, and send us out with good news and love. Amen.
Known By Name
Tuesday, April 7
JOHN 20:11-18
Jesus does not ignore our pain; he meets us in our lament. What awakens Mary in her grief? Jesus speaking her name in the garden, “Mary,” is an intimate and significant moment. He is more than a gardener, she more than a random woman. They are Mary and Rabboni. Don’t overlook the exclamation mark after “Rabboni!” and the fact that she exclaims this in Aramaic, her heart language, the tongue of familiarity. This is an intimate reunion between two friends who know each other well. Mary the devoted follower of Jesus is now the first to witness the resurrected Messiah. She was searching for meaning among the dead in the darkness. But the truth is that Jesus was seeking her out. He loves her, knows her intimately, and meets her as she is grasping in the dark.
“Do not hold on to me” (v. 17), Jesus says. Why do you look for the living among the dead? Why do you repeatedly cling to things that pick you apart and consume you? Cling to life. The risen Savior—alive, present, and deeply personal—calls out to us by name. He shatters the bonds that hold us back, liberates the parts of us still in captivity. He brings wholeness, forges new connections, renews what was broken, and infuses us with strength. Even now he is lifting us up in love and calling us out to live with purpose and good news on our lips.
Lord Jesus, thank you for calling us by name and meeting us in our grief. Open our hearts to hear your voice even in darkness and uncertainty. Help us let go of whatever holds us back and to trust in your living presence. Fill us with your love, restore us, and send us out to share the good news. Amen.
Move In Wonder
Wednesday, April 8
LUKE 24:9-12
As we grow into adulthood, our sense of childlike wonder inevitably fades, replaced by routine, responsibility, and guarded skepticism. Yet the miracle of the resurrection invites us to recover that wonder with hearts open to the impossible and the extraordinary presence of the living Christ among us and at work in the world.
The faithful women who followed Jesus travel to the tomb on the first day of the week, early in the morning. They are taking on the ordinary responsibility of honoring Jesus by anointing his corpse with spices. But they are interrupted by the unexpected and moved to wonder (v. 4) at the empty grave—a miracle that shattered expectations and compelled them to believe and give witness to the living Christ. This wondering is later echoed in Peter (v. 12). These opening hearts remind us that embracing the resurrection makes us vulnerable to be surprised more, trust more, and rejoice more in God’s daily miracles. The miracle of Easter and the resurrection involves the renewal of wonder and awe for all of humanity. Wonder and awe are at the heart of worship when believers are humbled by the in-breaking of the kingdom of God and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Christ is risen! May we meet each day with childlike wonder and faith.
Risen Christ, awaken in us a childlike wonder that trusts, dreams, and celebrates your miraculous love. Help us set aside our cynicism, and open our hearts to the awe of your resurrection. Fill us with hope and joyful expectation, that we may see your presence in every moment. Renew our spirits by your living power, and guide us to share your good news. Amen.
Women Who Ministered With Jesus
Thursday, April 9
LUKE 8:1-3
This passage offers us a glimpse into Jesus’s itinerant ministry. We see Jesus moving from town to town, from village to village, proclaiming
the good news of the kingdom of God. What is noteworthy and countercultural about his ministry is that, alongside the twelve apostles, Jesus also included several faithful women as part of his team. Luke intentionally records the specific names of these women, highlighting their important role as traveling ministers.
The women mentioned—Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and others—were excluded from much of society because of their gender, but they were radically included and named among the men. We are told that they had each been healed and freed by the loving touch of Jesus. Their personal testimonies were the foundation and qualifier for their ministry. In that culture women were generally seen as subordinate to men and expected to focus on domestic duties. Yet Jesus welcomed them into his mission, affirming their dignity and value in God’s kingdom and inviting them to participate in active ministry. These women were called and gifted to serve, offering themselves and their resources to support Jesus’s apostolic work.
Let us ask ourselves, what has Jesus done in my life? How has
he healed or freed me from things that have held me captive? By remembering and reflecting on these things, we can be moved to gratitude and devotion and be inspired to share the good news of
Jesus in our own lives with others.
Lord Jesus, thank you for showing us that every person has a place in your kingdom work. Help me to remember the ways you have healed and renewed me. In gratitude, I open my heart to serve you with the same devotion as these women, offering my time, resources, and heart for your glory. Amen.
Chill And Pray
Friday, April 10
ACTS 1:12-14
Recently I changed the drive mode on my sporty EV from “fast” to “chill” as a way to practice patience and humility. I am consistently annoyed in my bad moments by slow Seattle drivers—the bane of my existence and the cause of unnecessary traffic. My car, with its quick acceleration, often brings out my impatience. Instead of yielding, I usually speed up to pass and aggressively cut off other drivers as a message to them. Slowing down and waiting is hard for me.
In today’s fast-paced, instant-gratification, and information-driven world, waiting can be tough. We recently had a prayer station during a worship service at church where participants were asked to turn over mini sand minute glasses (like for board games) and sit in stillness until the sand ran out. Many people reflected how long it felt to simply sit for one minute. This is the pacing of our times. What feels excruciatingly slow now would have seemed quick a decade ago. We’re addicted to instant results.
In Acts 1 Jesus tells his followers to “wait for the gift my Father promised” (v. 4, NIV), which was the Holy Spirit. The disciples, both men and women, gather and wait together, not knowing when the gift will come. They wait faithfully, not just passing time but actively waiting by way of constant corporate prayer. Prayer shifts us from trying to control everything to trusting God’s timing, teaching us to “chill” instead of rushing. Praying together with the community of faith further shapes us
in our yielding to the movements, words, and timing of others.
Gracious God, help us wait with patience and faith, trusting your timing. Teach us to slow down and rest in your Spirit. Unite us in constant prayer, shaping our hearts to your will. Give us peace in the waiting and hope in your promises. Amen.
Even So, A Gift
Saturday, April 11
JOHN 20:29
Jesus’s words to Thomas convey both grace and challenge—not only to Thomas, but to all the disciples, and to us. On one hand, these words seem to be a rebuke of Thomas’s skepticism. But there is an invitation here into a deeper journey of faith, where Jesus is willing to meet us where we are while calling us to continue in growth. Can we blame Thomas for wanting to touch Jesus’s wounds for himself? Thomas wasn’t present when Christ first appeared to the others, so he was at a disadvantage, hearing about the resurrection secondhand.
A week later Jesus graciously meets Thomas where he is, inviting him to touch his hands and feet. Just as God did not destroy Adam and Eve after warning them they would die for eating the fruit in the Garden but instead actually clothed them to cover up their newfound shame, so Jesus extends grace to Thomas. Even as Jesus corrects Thomas, he offers the gift of reassurance through touch—a grace and a gift in the midst of doubt.
Lord Jesus, thank you for meeting us in our doubts and offering us grace even when we struggle to believe. Help us to trust in your love even when we cannot see. Strengthen our faith to follow you with confidence. Continue to challenge us, and draw us to a deeper faith that leans on you even in darkness and doubt. Amen.
