When our expectations do not match our experience, we must adjust. The first Easter morning experience described in Mark’s Gospel is about adjusting expectations. The women who went to the tomb were expecting several things other than the resurrection. 

The resurrection means we should seek God with greater expectations.

1. The women were surprised by an open tomb because they were expecting a heavy stone (v. 3). They brought spices and had planned to anoint the body. This was the third day, the one on which Jesus repeatedly taught them to expect the resurrection (Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:33).
   
   
2. They were surprised by an angel because they were expecting a decaying body. The Lord sent the angel to adjust their expectations. The angel tells them their heart’s desire: “you seek Jesus of Nazareth” (v.6). They were seeking the right thing, but in the wrong way, just like we all do at times. “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you O Lord” (St. Augustine). We must seek Jesus until we find him.
   
   
3. They were surprised to find a Lord who had been seeking them all along. Jesus was three steps ahead of his followers, leading a trail to faith. He told them about the cross beforehand, placed an angel to greet them, and planned a reunion in Galilee. Much like them, our hearts are slow to respond. Jesus has been pursuing us long before we looked for him.

Because he is alive, we can know him and have a relationship with him.  Because he is God, that relationship will look a bit different than we might expect.  Don’t let your experience of religion diminish your expectations of the relationship.

Taking It Home: Read Jeremiah 29:12-13 and Matthew 7:7-11 and think of one thing to do to increase your pursuit of God.