Known by God

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading titled, Known by God, was written by Patricia Rabin. After two brothers were separated by adoption, a DNA test helped to reunite them almost 20 years later. When Kieran texted Vincent, the man he believed was his brother, Vincent thought, who is this stranger? When Kieran asked him what name he'd been given at birth, he immediately answered, Tyler. Then he knew they were brothers.

He was recognized by his name. Consider how a name plays a key role in the Easter story. As it unfolds, Mary Magdalene comes to Christ's tomb and she weeps when she finds his body missing.

Woman, why are you crying? Jesus asks in John chapter 20 verse 15. She didn't recognize him, however, until he spoke her name, Mary.

Hearing him say it, she cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher. Her reaction expresses the joy believers in Jesus feel on Easter morning, recognizing that our risen Christ conquered death for all, knowing each of us as his children. As he told Mary, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. In Georgia, two reunited brothers bonded by name vowed to take this relationship to the next level. On Easter, we praise Jesus for already taking the utmost step to rise in sacrificial love for those he knows as his own.

For you and me, indeed, he's alive. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from John chapter 20 verses 11 through 18. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, Woman, why are you crying? They have taken my Lord away, she said, and I don't know where they have put him. At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, Woman, why are you crying?

Who is it you are looking for? Thinking he was the gardener, she said, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him. Jesus said to her, Mary.

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher. Jesus said, 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. 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. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you for knowing us so intimately and for meeting our deepest needs. Thank you for your sacrificial love that rescued us from our sin and set us free. It's in your name we pray, Jesus. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Joyce Dinkins, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.