When I reflect on the story of Mary Magdalene in John 20, I’m always moved by this: she didn’t recognize Jesus at first.
Here was someone she loved deeply—someone she had followed and believed in, and yet in the moment of her greatest sorrow, she mistook Him for the gardener. It wasn’t until He said her name, “Mary”, that her eyes were opened, and her heart caught up.
That scene holds such weight for me. It reminds me how easy it is to miss what God is doing when our hearts are clouded by grief, confusion, or distraction. Sometimes, He’s standing right in front of us, and we just don’t see it, until something shifts, until He speaks to the core of who we are.
That’s a lesson I continue to learn.
Even as a worship leader, even as someone who writes songs and leads people in prayer, I still have moments when I don’t see clearly. But what gives me peace is knowing that God doesn’t walk away when we don’t recognize Him. He stays. He speaks. And He calls us gently by name.
There’s power in that kind of love.
My hope for you this week is simple: that you’ll slow down enough to notice Him. Whether it’s in the smile of a child, a quiet moment in the car, or a verse that jumps out at you unexpectedly, may your heart be open to the whisper that says, “I’m here.”
Because just like Mary, sometimes the most life-changing encounters happen when we least expect them.
