“You used my real name,” the inmate said, and his eyes welled up with tears.
I was at a 3-day retreat at a prison where men were incarcerated for long sentences. We were assigned to tables where we’d be each other’s “family” for the entire program. As we all introduced ourselves to each other, the tattooed gang leader next to me said, “In here they call me—” and he gave his formal name and inmate number. “But on the outside I was known as Joe Angel.”
We enjoyed three days of music and gospel-centered lessons and food and laughter. Toward the end of the program, one of the last activities was to give the inmates handwritten notes and leave them alone to read them. When we were together again, Joe Angel told me what impressed him most about my note was that I used his preferred name in the letter. It was a name he once heard from people who were fond of him, and he was glad someone was addressing him that way again.
Early on a Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene heard her own name spoken in fondness. She had been weeping because she found the tomb of Jesus empty. Three days earlier, she had watched him die a horrible death, and now it appeared someone had carried away his body. But in the midst of her agonized sobs, she heard her own name spoken by a familiar voice.
“Mary.”
She turned around, and Jesus stood before her gloriously alive.
The Lord we read about in the Bible wants to meet with us. How is this possible? Because Jesus is alive, just as Mary discovered. So, we can anticipate moments when he calls us by name into meetings that restore our hope and strength.
Read about Mary’s encounter with the risen Lord in John 20:11-18, and then let’s pray for meetings like that to take place. We need them, and those we love need them. Study these words with us this Sunday at 10am!
--Tom
Tom Goodman serves as pastor at Hillcrest Church in Austin, Texas. His sermons are available on YouTube and the HillcrestToGo Podcast and you can find him on Facebook and Twitter. If someone forwarded this email newsletter to you, sign up here to receive Tom’s weekly devotional in your email inbox.