Mary lingered

May your lingering become the doorway to His presence.

The disciples ran to the tomb, looked inside, and—finding it empty—hurried off to tell the others.
Mary lingered.
Mary wept.
And Jesus met her there.

I keep thinking about that.

How often do I run to meet with Jesus, don’t feel Him right away, and then rush off to the next thing? But the moments when I stay—the moments when I slow down, or cry, or simply remain—those are so often the moments He turns up and meets me.

I want this to be a lingering season.

Lingering in God’s Word.
Lingering at His feet.
Lingering in His heart and in His throne room.

God is not in a hurry.
He’s not rushing to the next thing.
He has time—and He loves to spend it with you and with me.
He knows time spent with Him changes everything.

What if my to-do list isn’t that important?
What if the people in my life—my husband, children, friends, family—need most from me is the presence and power of God resting on my life?

What if this Christmas season is meant to be a slow one? A lingering one?

What if Jesus is waiting by the fire with a cup of tea, whispering, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden (third trimester, anyone? 😉), and I will give you rest.”

What if He’s waiting to dish out some rest for us.

Everything I’m stuck on—He wants to gently and patiently show me the way through.
Every ache in my heart—He wants to touch with His healing balm.

Maybe all He’s asking is that I linger long enough to let Him.

Others may be rushing around, but we don’t have to. Do you want to linger in the quiet with Him? What is He whispering to you when you are still enough to listen? What is He longing to tell you? What truth from Him is changing everything for you?

May your December be full of holy pauses, unhurried moments, and the kind of peace that only comes from lingering with Him.

Treasures await us. Let’s find them in the lingering.