On the day that changed the world, one person was the first witness.
Jesus rose from the dead. Mary Magdalene had “eyes to see and ears to hear” her Lord, and so she did.
Their encounter, briefly recorded in John 20, reveals an intimacy as Jesus calls Mary by name, and Mary’s response of shock and joy (not romance though – beware of finding things that are not there!).
The ‘men’ had left Mary at the empty tomb in her grief. She had witnessed Jesus’ death on the cross, and in that moment, as she had desired to anoint His body properly following the Sabbath rest, His body was not to be found.
Yet He was there, unrecognised but present. And He made Himself known to Mary, but that wasn’t the end. He gave Mary encouragement and instructions for the disciples and other followers of Jesus. Mary Magdalene returned to the large gathering with the Good News: “Jesus is alive!”
How like the Lord to use an unlikely messenger to be first to see and hear the Good News, and be the one to tell everyone else! This woman who had been wrecked by seven demons (Luke 8:2) was honoured by God on this historical day.
Do you believe you are unworthy… unlikely… ineligible to be used by God, to see and hear Him? To declare the Good News “Jesus is alive!” ?
You are truly worthy to do so when you open your eyes and your ears to what Jesus is doing in your midst. When you place your trust in Him, placing yourself, your skills, talents, time and resources at His disposal, He will use you in ways you could not even have imagined.
I doubt any person in Jerusalem on that one day would ever have believed that Mary from Magdalene would be forever known for her faithfulness and witness to the risen Jesus.
May your own doubts and fears be replaced by confidence and courage that comes from God Himself, who raised Jesus from the dead and who has poured out His Spirit upon those with eyes to see and ears to hear.
Jesus is alive! Come, Lord Jesus!
Jesus rose from the dead. Mary Magdalene had “eyes to see and ears to hear” her Lord, and so she did.
Their encounter, briefly recorded in John 20, reveals an intimacy as Jesus calls Mary by name, and Mary’s response of shock and joy (not romance though – beware of finding things that are not there!).
The ‘men’ had left Mary at the empty tomb in her grief. She had witnessed Jesus’ death on the cross, and in that moment, as she had desired to anoint His body properly following the Sabbath rest, His body was not to be found.
Yet He was there, unrecognised but present. And He made Himself known to Mary, but that wasn’t the end. He gave Mary encouragement and instructions for the disciples and other followers of Jesus. Mary Magdalene returned to the large gathering with the Good News: “Jesus is alive!”
How like the Lord to use an unlikely messenger to be first to see and hear the Good News, and be the one to tell everyone else! This woman who had been wrecked by seven demons (Luke 8:2) was honoured by God on this historical day.
Do you believe you are unworthy… unlikely… ineligible to be used by God, to see and hear Him? To declare the Good News “Jesus is alive!” ?
You are truly worthy to do so when you open your eyes and your ears to what Jesus is doing in your midst. When you place your trust in Him, placing yourself, your skills, talents, time and resources at His disposal, He will use you in ways you could not even have imagined.
I doubt any person in Jerusalem on that one day would ever have believed that Mary from Magdalene would be forever known for her faithfulness and witness to the risen Jesus.
May your own doubts and fears be replaced by confidence and courage that comes from God Himself, who raised Jesus from the dead and who has poured out His Spirit upon those with eyes to see and ears to hear.
Jesus is alive! Come, Lord Jesus!
RSS Feed