SHE THOUGHT HE WAS THE GARDENER By Craig F. Pitts
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She thought He was the gardener.
How foolish of her
What an insult
That He, our Great Redeemer
should be confused with a lot so lowly.
She thought He was the gardener
And we are sure that she was wrong
For we know His true identity—
God, King, Conqueror, Mighty to Save!
She thought He was the gardener
She was confused
Unaware
Blinded by tears.
But was she really so wrong?
For long ago he HAD planted a garden.
It was in the east and carefully planned
The best of everything was there
Life began there—in that dazzling Garden of God
Beauty was at its epitome
Colour touched every spectrum
Peace reigned and man walked with God
Until—
The Gardener called one day
And man, ashamed and afraid, did not want to talk
And sin drove man away from the Garden.
She thought He was the gardener
And perhaps she was not so wrong
For not too many days ago He had been alone
In a garden.
Pain and sorrow had never been more intense
Darkness weighed down like a thick blanket
that crushed the flowers
and watered them with blood.
The cross cast its shadow of death
across the already black garden
And the Gardener talked with His Father—
and both cried.
She thought He was the gardener.
This was, after all, a garden
The place where flowers would grow
and trees would blossom
and life would spring forth from winter’s death
Right here—in this—Garden!
How appropriate!
What a glorious mistake!
She thought He was the gardener
And then He spoke her name
and in one divine moment
He planted strong roots of Faith
and brilliant blossoms of Hope
Love bloomed into life—death was no more.
The thorns and thistles of sin were forever uprooted
and destroyed.
And a new garden sprang forth in her heart.
And eternal Eden glowed in her soul!
She thought He was the Gardener…
…and she was right!