Bible Verse: “…go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” John 20:17, King James Version
Scripture Reading: John 20:14-18; Mark 16:40; Luke 8:1-3; Galatians 3:28; Hebrews 4:12
A while back, I had it on my heart to create a devotional… yet this deafening whisper kept impelling me with the same repetitive questions: Who are you to do such a thing? What credentials do you have to offer encouragement in the walk with Christ? So, I wrestled with this weight for a while, succumbing to the distorted reflection I saw when I gazed into the enemy’s mirror.
But God…
I am always amazed at how God works… how He allows our paths to cross with others, connecting us to other members of His body… and how years later, He uses that connection as an instrument for His voice to edify and encourage. And so it was with this sister in Christ whom I met at a local home improvement store I visited frequently when we were building our house; her kindness and uplifting personality permeated the atmosphere as she served customers at the self-checkout. However, as we live in a fallen world where everything has been affected, bad things happen even to the best of people, and during the time frame that we became acquainted, my new dear friend entered a battle with cancer. Thankfully, it was found in time, and her health was restored.
After our house was finished and I rarely saw her anymore, our paths crossed once again at the grocery store, or rather, I felt her excited embrace before I even knew our paths had crossed. God’s love emanated from her very being. As we talked and caught up, I shared where I was in my writing and the thoughts of this devotional that kept cycling in my mind, along with my sense of inadequacy and lack of qualifications to follow through. In that moment, her words illuminated my darkened, distorted mirror, reminding me of the image that I bear… the reflection of the One I am to represent to the world. She had no elaborate speech… just a simple statement: “Your faith qualifies you—your calling is from God.” Suddenly, I realized that God’s calling on my heart—and the way He had spoken to me through His Word to share my testimony through devotional writing—was the only credential I needed. Follow His lead… adhere to His inerrant Word… He was asking me to step in faith.
When we think of Mary Magdalene, what comes to mind? As I have been reading and deeply studying the Gospel of John this past month, something significant has emerged from the story.
As we know, Mary Magdalene was a dedicated follower of Jesus. We see her as a committed follower in Luke 8:2, as she and other women travel with Jesus, the twelve apostles, and other disciples. Her long-term commitment is reinforced as Mark points to her presence at the cross: “There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene…” (Mark 16:40 KJV). And her devotion did not stop at the cross. Her sincere love was demonstrated as she was the first to arrive at the tomb following the Sabbath. She was there before dawn (John 20:1). Even after His death, she was wholeheartedly seeking after her Lord.
And so, Mary’s story continues. Mary Magdalene was the first one to see the resurrected Christ (John 20:14). He could have appeared to anyone else first, yet He chose Mary, who was not only a dedicated disciple but a woman, which made a significant statement for the time and culture in which she lived. From there, He commissioned her to go and tell the others the good news (John 20:17). And in the very next verse, what did Mary do? She went and she “…told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her” (John 20:18 KJV).
Thus, in a very real sense, I suppose we can say that Mary Magdalene can be seen as the first Christian evangelist to proclaim the resurrection. She was chosen and called by Jesus personally to tell the others He had conquered sin and death. I wonder, considering the role of women in the culture in which she lived, if she paused to question whether those men would believe her or even stop to listen.
Jesus could have appeared to the apostles Himself, yet He summoned a woman to do the job. Not only does this show that Jesus uses humanity to continue His work, but that His calling is the credential we require. Peter had denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus commissioned him to “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17, KJV). Paul persecuted Christians even unto death, but Jesus called Him to take the gospel message to the Gentiles (Acts 22:4-21).
Paul says in Galatians 3:28 that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (KJV). As believers, we are all endowed with different spiritual gifts to use as functioning members of His body to bring glory to Him. The important thing is that we are adhering to God’s word, verifying the calling on our hearts with Scripture. By testing our sense of calling with the Word, we ensure that our lives align with His purposes rather than our own. God did not give us the Bible and then abandon us. As Hebrews 4:12 teaches us, He is still speaking through the Scripture. It is His living Word, as it says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 KJV).
May we each use our gifts to bring glory to the One who humbly laid down His life for us, and with all prayer and supplication, seek counsel from His Word, listening closely for that still small voice (1 Kings 19:12), and heed His call.
