Merciful #2

Honoring Mercy
Remembering Where Christ Brought Us From

Last week, we looked at how Christ consistently showed mercy throughout his ministry.  He did it in many ways and to many different types of people.  His mercy didn't fall on hollow hearts, though.  Today, we look at one person who loved Christ enough to continue even without the knowledge of the resurrection:

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Delivered and Determined
Mary Magdalene had a lot to be thankful for.  She had been possessed by seven demons.  To have multiple spirits in possession of your mind and body would have made her look like a schizophrenic or someone suffering from multiple-personality disorder.  She would have been kept on the outside of society and treated about the same as a leper.  Yet, Christ delivered her and gave her a new purpose in life. 

She was allowed to follow Christ throughout his ministry, something that would not have been completely accepted in society at that time.  She was a woman and a known demoniac.  Now she was following this radical rabbi.  For Christ to do this probably hurt his credibility, but he didn't care about what people thought.  It wasn't about popularity to him.  It was about setting the captives free. 

Commitment Builds Calling

This merciful love inspired Mary to follow Christ even to his death and beyond.  She was committed to honoring God even after his death.  On her way to his grave to anoint Christ's body with incense and spices, she was probably thinking of all the things Christ had done for her.  He had delivered her, taken her in to his group of followers.  Taught her and inspired her.    She couldn't let this merciful kindness go unhonored.  She was going to pay tribute to the man who saved her.  The man who gave her a second chance at life.

It was this commitment to honoring the One who saved her that gave Mary the first glimpse of the empty tomb.  She was blessed with the task of heralding Christ's resurrection.  She was the first to actually see Christ after he was raised.  All of this came from her remembering where Christ had brought her from and staying true to her commitment to follow Him.

Let Your Story Drive You

We all have a story, something Christ has brought us from.  It may not be multiple demons, but it might be multiple situations.  We might have had an illness that Christ mercifully healed us of or we might have been bound in sin that Christ pulled us out of.  Regardless, Christ redeemed us just as he redeemed Mary Magdalene.  Will we have the same commitment to honor and follow God even when we can't find him?  When he seems to have departed from us, it's easy to throw up our hands, but we don't know that He is working things out for our benefit.  When he reveals Himself to us, He will bring an opportunity to serve Him greater than ever before.  We just can't forget where he brought us from if we want to see where he will bring us to next.


Reflection

Read Luke 4:18. 
How has Christ done this scripture in your life?
Write your answers out and carry them with you wherever you go
Let them be a reminder to you whenever you feel like Christ isn't to be found
He will show back up when it is the right time.