Mary Magdalene was one of the first to see the empty tomb.
She ran to tell the disciples, and after Peter and John saw for themselves, she found herself alone in the garden.
That’s when everything changed.
In John 20:17, as she finally recognizes Jesus, she reaches for Him—and He says, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (NIV)
At first, that feels surprising.
Why wouldn’t Jesus want her to hold on to Him?
The answer is that He was inviting her into something greater.
He wasn’t just the teacher she once walked with.
He is the risen Son of God, victorious over death, returning to the Father, and present in a new, powerful way.
Jesus wasn’t asking her to let go of Him, He was asking her to let go of the way she used to know Him. And we face that same invitation.
Don’t cling to who you thought Jesus was.
Don’t cling to an old version of your faith.
Cling to the truth of who He is now—alive, present, powerful, and reigning.
Not a memory.
Not a moment.
But a living Savior.
In your life, every day, in every circumstance.
My friend, hold onto the risen Christ, with you right now.
Knowing that in Him, you are fully known, fully loved, and fully His.