13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'”
18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.” John 20:11-18.
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The Scripture for today reminds me of Romans 8:29-30.
First, Jesus figuratively embraced His disciples as His “brethern”. He called them His brethern. He identified His Father as their Father. He identified His God as their God. Jesus had a concern for His brethern and instructed Mary to give this message to His brethern.
Second, Jesus called: “Mary!”, and Mary figuratively and literally embraced Jesus. Mary figuratively embraced Jesus as her Teacher, and Mary literally embraced Jesus who replied: “Stop clinging to Me …”
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30.
Thus, we can think about the resurrection as Jesus embracing us. Not only did Jesus rise from the dead, He embraced us and brought us too up from the dead to new life.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 