¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. ¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders …
- John 20:18-19
 
What a great way for this story to start. The silence between verse 18 and verse 19 rings so loudly.
 
Mary Magdalene, who had walked with Jesus and learned from him for years, had just experienced the most remarkable experience of her life. Someone who died came back from the dead. Jesus didn’t return as a zombie; he was full of life. Extraordinary.
 
Mary did what we do most naturally when we see something remarkable—we remark on it! She ran to the people who she thought would have been most excited to hear the news. What kind of reception do you think she received?
 
We don’t know.
 
The next beat in the story shows the disciples gathered together, behind locked doors, full of fear. Maybe they didn’t believe Mary Magdalene. Maybe they wrote her off as a hysterical woman deluded by grief. Gender barriers still create doubt around stories … to much sorrow and pain. We don’t know what the disciples responded the way they did—huddle, retreat, shiver.
 
We may find ourselves in either of these situations this Easter.
 
We may share with great courage and vulnerability and see our words fall on doubtful ears. We may find ourselves struggling to believe.
 
Wherever you are, God can meet you there. He can meet you when no one else wants to listen to you. He can meet you even when you doubt.
 
Where do you need God to meet you as you walk toward Easter this week?