They Didn’t Believe

Scripture: 9 Early on the first day of the week, after rising from the dead, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 After she had seen Jesus, she ran to tell his disciples, who were all emotionally devastated and weeping. 11 Excitedly, Mary told them, “He’s alive and I’ve seen him!” But even after hearing this, they didn’t believe her. 12 After this, Jesus appeared to two of the disciples, who were on their way to another village, appearing in a form they did not recognize. 13 They went back to Jerusalem to tell the rest of the disciples, but they didn’t believe it was true. 14 Then Jesus appeared before the eleven apostles as they were eating a meal. He corrected them for having such hard, unbelieving hearts because they did not believe those who saw him after his resurrection. (Mark 16:9-14 The Passion) Jesus had told his followers, and especially his disciples, what was going to happen to him. And yet, because it was so not how or what they wanted or even expected, they did not believe. As Jesus appeared to different ones, Mary Magdalene (she believed) and the two on the road, many still did not believe. It seems to be hard for us to believe when God does something in a way we do not expect, or even how we think it should happen. Of course we know that the disciples did finally believe, and went on to do the things Jesus asked them to do. Father, help to believe; to not have my own ideas of how things should work out. You are God and I am not; Your ways and not my ways. AMEN And so I say again, my God, “You are my Maker, my Mediator, and my Master. Any good thing You find in me has come from You.” Psalm 16
]]>