Devos- Pinedale Christian Church

Thursday
Sep 15th, 2022

By: Matthew Sink

The Gospel of John-Day 74

John 20:11-18 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she 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 turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Before she met Jesus, Mary Magdalene’s life was a train-wreck. I can’t explain what it looks like when a person has “seven demons”, and I can’t explain how they were “cast out,” but I do know that Jesus completely changed her messy life. Mary shared the same testimony as many of us: “I once was lost; now I’m found. I once was blind; now I see; I once was separated from God, now I have a Savior.”

After she met Jesus, Mary responded to this change in her life by devoting herself, 100%, to Him. We don’t know very much about her. He has obviously been the subject of intense speculation in popular culture. In truth, we know nearly nothing about her life – before Jesus or after. All we really know if wrapped up in Jesus. You see, from the moment that Jesus healed her, Mary Magdalene was His devoted follower. She followed Him. She supported Him financially. She tuned in to His teachings. She stood at the cross. She showed up at the tomb. He was a constant part of her life.

That is a model for every one of us. Jesus deserves (and demands) to be my life-focus. He should get the best of my energy; the first of my time; the first of my money. My words should honor him. My thoughts should honor Him. My actions should honor Him. He deserves that. And I should not spend a day on this earth that He is not part of! In fact, I hope that one day in the future people look back at my story and say, “We really don’t know much about him outside of Christ. His life was Christ. Everything else is just details.”

Father, help me to follow you with today with passion and focus. Help me to give you my all. Forgive me for when I have held back. Take all of me, and use me to bring you glory in all things. Amen.