Staying Close After Restoration

Someone once told me a story about a charcoal fire. When the coals are close together, they stay hot. They share their heat, glowing white and steady. But if one rolls away from the rest, it starts to cool. Slowly at first, then all at once. The fire fades. It’s a simple image, but it sticks. We need each other. We stay warm when we’re close—not just in presence, but in purpose. Encouragement, worship, shared faith… it keeps the fire alive.

But here’s the thing: even the brightest coals eventually lose their heat if they’re not near the flame. People can warm you for a while. A good friend, a strong community, a mentor. But even they have limits. To stay truly warm, you have to be near the source. The one fire that never dies down. The one who burns with love that never cools down: Jesus.

Mary Magdalene was more aware than anyone else of the power of staying close. While the other disciples fled when Jesus was crucified, she stayed. And while the others mourned away from the tomb, Mary Magdalene stayed near the spot where Jesus was buried. In all those circumstances, shocking events and poignant uncertainty, it was Mary Magdalene who stayed—who stayed close.

Maybe Mary Magdalene didn’t know what else to do—maybe staying close was the only thing she could manage. But maybe… it was also the wisest choice she could’ve made. When everything else was shaken, she clung to the One she had come to trust with her whole life—even in His death. And in doing so, she found restored faith when she was the first to encounter the risen Jesus. Restoration wasn’t found in fixing herself—it was found in staying near the source of grace. So, be like Mary. Draw close. Stay close. That’s where the lasting heat comes from.

Where do you tend to drift when life gets messy—and what would it look like to simply stay close to Jesus instead?