all eyes on jesus | revealed

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. Mark 16:9-14, NIV

Mark enables us to witness Jesus revealing himself to Mary Magdalene but then tells us the disciples refuse to believe her testimony. I have some sympathy for them. I can imagine that grief had closed their hearts making it difficult to fathom the possibility of good news. I also know cultural norms may have contributed to scepticism as the testimony of a woman was deemed less reliable at that time.

But then I read Jesus appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus and that doesn’t move the eleven. And then Mark tells us Jesus has to appear to all of them and rebuke them for their unbelief and hard hearts! Can you imagine?

Of course you can. The journey from doubt to faith resonates with all of us. Our experiences, preconceived notions, and expectations can hinder our ability to embrace the extraordinary truths of the Gospel. Like the disciples, we may find it deeply challenging to believe in the miraculous.

For me, doubt is a natural part of my faith journey. Doubt makes me question, but it also forces me to seek answers. More to the point it forces me to seek Jesus. I know there is nothing like encountering the risen Christ to illuminate my understanding and ignite a great fire inside my soul.

Ask Jesus to meet you today.

Let's pray
Forgive me for those times when I find it hard to believe, Lord. Meet me in those times, counsel me, encourage me, empower me, and send me. Amen.