Bible in a Year - Women’s Thematic Reading Plan | Day 80

Day 80 of the Women’s Bible Plan: Read John 20:1-18 and reflect on Mary Magdalene, who came to the tomb early in the morning, searched for the Lord in her grief, heard the risen Christ call her by name, and was sent to proclaim the message of His resurrection. Through her story, this devotional helps women see how the risen Lord meets the grieving and sends those He comforts to become witnesses of resurrection hope. 

🌸  Dear Sister, welcome to Day 80 of our reading journey. 

Some mornings do not begin with hope, but with tears. Yesterday’s pain has not passed. The weight of loss still presses on the heart. All that remains is one simple but heavy longing: to draw near to the Lord again, even if it seems only possible to weep beside the tomb.

This is how Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. While it was still dark, she came to the place where Jesus had been laid. The Lord she loved had been crucified and buried, and she thought everything was over. She did not yet have a full theological explanation. She did not immediately understand the glory of resurrection. She simply came with love, grief, and longing to the place where she believed she had lost Him.

Yet in the place of deepest tears, the risen Lord personally appeared to her. He did not first appear to the powerful of the world. He did not first entrust the message of resurrection to those who seemed most influential. He called the name of a weeping woman and sent her to tell the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”

A Minute of Grace

John 20:1-18 records that on the first day of the week, early in the morning, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb of Jesus and saw that the stone had been taken away. She immediately went and told Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved. The two disciples ran to the tomb and saw the linen clothes and the napkin that had been about His head, yet they did not fully understand the Scripture that Jesus must rise again from the dead.

The disciples returned to their own home, but Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre, and saw two angels sitting there. They asked her, “Woman, why weepest thou?” She answered, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.” Her tears show that she still thought Jesus’ body had been moved. She remained in the pain of loss and the longing of searching.

Then Jesus stood behind her and asked, “Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?” Mary thought He was the gardener. But when Jesus called her name, “Mary,” she recognized Him. In that one personal call, her eyes were opened. The risen Lord did not first meet her grief with a long explanation, but with a familiar, intimate, grace-filled calling of her name.

One of the most moving parts of this passage is that Jesus sent Mary Magdalene to tell the disciples the news of His resurrection. A woman who had just been standing outside the tomb in tears became the one who told the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” Her grief did not disqualify her from being used by the Lord. Instead, the risen Christ met her in her tears, comforted her, and sent her out from sorrow to become a messenger of resurrection hope.

Today’s theme, “Mary Magdalene: The First Witness of the Resurrection,” invites us to reflect: Do we believe that the risen Lord can meet us in the very place where we are most grieved, confused, and convinced everything is over? Are we willing to hear Him call our name and let Him transform our tears into testimony? In the kingdom of God, the grieving are not meant to remain beside the tomb forever. After being met by the Lord, they too can become messengers of hope.

Whispers for the Heart

1 Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark. Are there “still dark” moments in your own life—times when you cannot yet see hope, when your heart is heavy with loss, and all you can do is come before the Lord with tears? How does this passage remind you that even before you see the answer of resurrection, the Lord knows you are seeking Him?

2 Mary recognized Jesus when He called her name. Do you believe that the risen Lord also knows your name, your story, your tears, your confusion, and your longing? In your sorrow, what kind of comfort or calling do you most need to hear from Him?

3 Jesus sent Mary to tell the disciples the message of resurrection. Have you ever felt too weak, too grieving, or too broken to bear witness for the Lord? How does this passage encourage you to believe that the Lord can use those He has comforted to comfort others, share hope, and testify to resurrection life?

As you read John 20:1-18 today, do not only notice the empty tomb. Also notice the woman weeping outside it, and how she was called, comforted, renewed, and sent by the risen Lord. Her story reminds us that resurrection hope is not an abstract doctrine. It is the living Lord entering human sorrow and turning mourning into testimony.

Take a quiet breath before you begin. Bring the places in your heart that are still weeping, the questions still searching for answers, and the hopes that feel too fragile to believe again before the risen Lord, and let His Word meet you there.

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John 20:1-18 (KJV) 

20 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

💡 Closing Thought · The Weeping Are Also Sent 

After reading John 20:1-18, we see that Mary Magdalene did not meet the Lord after she had fully understood everything. She met Him in grief, confusion, and tears. She thought she had lost the Lord, yet beside the tomb she heard Him call her by name. She began as one who wept, but she was sent as a witness of the resurrection.

As we close this page and return to real life, perhaps there are still sorrows in your heart that have not healed. Perhaps you are still searching for answers. Perhaps you are still standing beside a “tomb,” believing that everything has ended. Remember this: the risen Lord does not only seek the strong, and He does not only send those without tears. He draws near to the grieving, calls them by name, and can turn tears into testimony.

May today’s Scripture remind you that your weeping has not been ignored by the Lord, your seeking has not been in vain, and your brokenness does not prevent God from using you. May you meet the risen Lord in your sorrow, receive new strength through His call, and in the right time, bear honest witness with your life: “I have seen the Lord.”

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