THE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S thought only of His m ortal body and of th e holy privilege of helping to prepare it for burial, but it was real devotion. She wept. Looking in, she saw the angels. They were th ere for her es pecial benefit. They were th e re to com fort her. She was alone. She was not weeping th a t others m ight w itness h er sorrow. She was weeping because she loved h er Lord. She had been brought out of the power of Satan into a new life through Him. He was a real Saviour to her, bu t her eyes had been holden as were th e eyes of th e apostles. They were all slow of h ea rt to believe (Luke 24:25-27) “T h e n s a id lie u n to th e m , O fo o ls , a n d s lo w o f h e a r t to b e lie v e a l l t h a t th e p r o p h e t s h a v e s p o k e n ; O u g h t n o t C h r is t t o h a v e s u f f e r e d th e s e t h i n g s , a n d . to e n t e r in t o h is g lo r y ? A n d b e g in n in g a t M o se s a n d a l l th e p r o p h e ts , h e e x p o u n d e d u n to th e m in a ll th e s c r ip t u r e s t h e th i n g s c o n c e r n in g h im s e lf .” And our eyes are holden so much of th e time. W hat a sorrow, w hat a grief it is to H im th a t we are so slow to be lieve, and so ready to criticise those who do believe! L isten to His words of reproof to His disciples when He came down from the Mount of T rans figuration, and th e ir unbelief had been manifested so clearly in th e ir inability to heal th e boy who had been brought to them (Mark 9:19 ) “ O f a i t h l e s s g e n e r a tio n , h o w lo n g s h a ll I b e w i t h y o u ? h o w lo n g s h a l l I s u f f e r y o u ? ” Are not P au l’s words a rebuke to us? (Heb. 5:11,12) “ O f w h o m w e h a v e m a n y t h i n g s t o sa y» a n d h a r d to b e u tte re d » s e e in g y e a r e d u ll o f h e a r in g . F o r w h e n f o r t h e tim e y e o u g h t t o b e te a c h e rs » y e h a v e n e e d t h a t o n e te a c h y o u a g a i n w h ic h b e th e f ir s t p r in c ip le s o f th e o r a c le s o f G o d ; a n d a r e b e c o m e s u c h a s h a v e n e e d o f m ilk » a n d n o t o f s tr o n g m e a t.” (3 ) THE PREMIUM FOR DEVO TION. ‘,‘Why weepest th o u ?” ‘‘Where have you laid him? I will tak e him away.” W hat persistence of love! But in the m idst of her sorrow she hears a voice, “Mary!” She tu rned around—-perhaps the angels pointed— and th ere He was!
743 Can we imagine th e tum u lt of Joy th a t swept th rough h er soul as she recognized Him? “M aster!” No doubt she made a motion of throw ing her arm s around His feet and kissing them. She loved Him. He was th e dearest of all to h er, and her devotion was re warded as was th e devotion of th e other Mary (Luke 10:42) “M a ry h a t h c h o s e n t h a t ' g o o d ' p a r t w h ic h s h a l l n o t b e t a k e n a w a y .f r o m h e r .” There was something very appropri ate in th e term she used, “Master.” When Jesus had washed His disciples’ feet He used .the same term (John 13:, 13, 14) “ Y e c a ll m e M a s te r a n d L o rd , a n d y e s a y w e ll; f o r s o I am . I f I th e n , y o n r L o rd a n d M a s te r , h a v e w a s h e d y o n r f e e t ; y e a l s o o n g h t to w a s h o n e a n o t h e r ’s f e e t.” The first hum an being to see Jesus afte r His resurrection was Mary Mag dalene. The first one to h ear her name from th e lips of the risen Christ was Mary Magdalene. The first m issionary was Mary Magdalene, “ Go, to my breth ren and say unto them , I ascend unto my fath e r and your F a th e r; and to my God and your God.” Here we have th e recognition of de votion, His response to devotion, and His requirem ent of devotion. “Mary Magdalene— you were th e one demon- possessed; now you are th e divine-pos sessed; g reatly favored among women.” Topics fo r Study (1) Why were demons perm itted to live in people, and do they do so today? ' (2) Whom do the demons rep re sent? Why do they w ant to possess people? (3) Was th e consciousness of the
awful horrors of demon pos session th e reason for Mary’s devotion? (4) As we become more conscious of w hat sin is and does, are we moved to deeper love for th e Lord? (5 ) How is devotion to Christ best manifested today?
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker