There are moments in Scripture that gently ask us to slow down—not to analyze quickly, not to rush toward answers—but to remain.
One of those moments is found in Gospel of John 20:11–18, when the risen Christ first reveals Himself—not to the crowds, not to the apostles who ran ahead—but to a woman who stayed.
And that detail matters far more than we often realize.
Mary Stayed When Others Left
Peter and John ran to the tomb. They saw the linen cloths. They noticed something was different.
And then Scripture tells us plainly: they went home.
But Mary Magdalene remained.
She lingered.
She wept.
She waited.
She stayed at the place where she had last encountered Him. And it was there, in the staying, that Jesus revealed Himself.
He didn’t rush her out of her grief.
He didn’t correct her confusion.
He didn’t demand clarity or composure.
He simply called her by name.
The Weight of Mary’s Grief: Why Her Staying Was Costly
Mary’s lingering was not sentimental—it was costly. She had already watched Jesus die. She had already endured the shattering loss of the Cross. Now she believed His body had been taken.
This was compounded grief: death followed by desecration, loss layered upon loss.
She stayed not because she understood—but because love does not always know how to leave.
Her remaining was not passive. It was faithful endurance.
Sometimes staying with God is not peaceful—it is painful. And yet, it is precisely there that resurrection appears.
Jesus Reveals Himself to the Ones Who Linger
This passage teaches us something deeply consoling:
Jesus reveals Himself to the ones who stay.
To the ones who don’t walk away too quickly from holy moments.
To the ones who bring their tears instead of tidy answers.
To the ones who say, “God, I don’t understand—but I’m not leaving.”
Mary was not rewarded for knowledge. She was not rewarded for action. She was honored for devotion.
Throughout Scripture, revelation often comes not to the hurried—but to the abiding. Jesus later tells His disciples, “Abide in Me.” Isaiah reminds us that those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. Mary embodies this truth before it is ever preached.
Why Peter and John Left—and Why Mary Stayed
Peter and John were not wrong. They believed. They processed differently. They saw evidence and moved forward.
Mary stayed because love does not always need answers. Scripture does not shame those who left—but it honors the one who remained. God meets us according to the posture of our hearts.
For some, faith runs ahead. For others, faith kneels and weeps. Neither is condemned. But the lingering heart receives a personal revelation.
Why This Resonates So Deeply with Women
As women, we understand this kind of staying.
We know how to linger:
- outside our children’s bedrooms, praying quietly
- in the space between petition and answered prayer
- in seasons of waiting, hoping, trusting again
- in relationships we’re asking God to heal
- in wounds that haven’t yet closed
And sometimes, we’re hard on ourselves for that lingering. Why can’t I just move on? Why do I stay here so long?
But Scripture gently reframes this for us. Jesus is in the lingering.
He is in the “one more minute—let me pray again.”
He is in the “let me sit here and cry with God.”
He is in the tears we don’t rush to wipe away.
Mary teaches us that staying is not weakness. It is love.
Mary Wasn’t Doing Anything Impressive—and That’s the Point
There’s a tenderness here we must not miss. Mary wasn’t preaching. She wasn’t organizing. She wasn’t offering eloquent prayers. She was simply a woman who loved Jesus—and could not walk away, even when everything looked hopeless.
And Jesus honored that love. He came to her first.
Before He appeared to the disciples.
Before the world knew He had risen.
Before any proclamation was made.
He came to the woman who stayed.
He Called Her by Name: Resurrection Is Personal
Mary does not recognize Jesus at first. She mistakes Him for the gardener. But when He speaks her name—“Mary”—everything changes. She recognizes Him not by sight, but by voice.
Relationship precedes revelation.
In Scripture, naming restores identity. In calling her name, Jesus restores Mary—from grief, from confusion, from loss. Resurrection is revealed personally before it is proclaimed publicly.
God does not only reveal truth.
He reveals Himself.
What Staying Looks Like in Real Life
This passage invites us into a countercultural posture:
Stay.
Stay in prayer when nothing changes yet.
Stay in Scripture when it feels dry.
Stay present with God instead of numbing or rushing.
Stay faithful in ordinary obedience.
Stay when you don’t know what God is doing—but trust Him anyway.
Staying is not stagnation. It’s spiritual courage.
What This Means for You This Week
The Lord does not despise your lingering heart.
He sees your devotion.
He sees your love.
He sees your staying—even when you don’t have answers.
And just as He did with Mary, He will meet you there.
A Closing Encouragement
Jesus still calls names. He still reveals Himself to women who remain close. He still honors love that refuses to leave. He still meets hearts that stay—even in mystery.
May you feel seen this week. May you feel known. May you feel deeply loved by the God who reveals Himself to the ones who stay.
