It is Easter Friday today, and as I went through my devotional material on the people of Easter, the first character of the study was Mary. I am fascinated that she is the first person Jesus appeared to after His resurrection; in my devotional, the writer asserts that this is because Mary Magdalene kept showing up. She showed up continually, showing courage, emotions and faith.
To further understand the passage, I picked up my Bible and went through Mark 15 and 16.
Indeed, I was overwhelmed, amazed and humbled by the sacrifice of Christ and the pain He had to endure for us at Calvary. Much more today, the latter part of Mark 15 caught my attention, especially at the number of times women were mentioned in that passage.
In the CSB version, the word “women” was mentioned 3 times in vs 40&41. Even though the main women mentioned were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and Salome, it alluded that several other women were there who followed Jesus from Jerusalem to Golgotha.
Many times, as women, we underplay our importance in Kingdom matters. Mark 15 vs 40 is striking to me: the women showed up at such a crucial time in Jesus’s ministry. They showed up in Jerusalem, followed through to Golgotha, stayed through His crucifixion, and through His burial by Joseph of Arimathea (and Nicodemus).
Though they had to observe the statutory Sabbath day, they were up and on their way to show up at Jesus’s tomb very early on Sunday morning. It is important to note that there was a possible obstacle on their way, but it didn’t deter them in their purpose; they decided to show up, and by the time they got there, the stone had been rolled away.
Because they showed up, they were the first to be informed that Jesus had risen; they were the first to carry the good news – HE HAS RISEN. It didn’t end there, in Mark 16 vs 9, Jesus appeared to Mary in His resurrected form, how beautiful and amazing is that? he instructed her to go tell the disciples that HE HAS RISEN.
My dear woman, lady, girlfriend, or man, what is the lie that has been fed to you that you cannot be useful to God or in His vineyard? They’ve asked you questions like how many women were among Jesus Apostles, and so, you buried that gift, you stopped showing up.
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I hope the women at Jesus’s resurrection inspire to pick up hope again and commit to a lifestyle of showing up. Women were an integral part of Jesus’s ministry, even more at the most crucial part of His ministry.
You, my lady, are special. You are important to God. You are where you are today for a purpose. This is another season where we celebrate Christ’s resurrection; let this season inspire you to show up again. Host that show, organize that event, reach out to those people, stir up the gift within you.
You are worth more than gold, there is more to you than your past mistakes. let God’s love, mercy and grace embrace and transform you into who He wants you to be.
I am worth more than gold, there is more to me than my past mistakes. Share on XI love you.
Fun Fact: Mary seems to be a woman who wasn’t afraid to show her emotions. As soon as she realised she was Jesus she was speaking to, in John 20 vs 17, she wanted to hold on to Him, I guess in a big hug, but Jesus told her to hold on, He needed to report to His Father first.
So, woman, don’t be afraid to love up on God, show Him those emotions.
Love and Light Always,
Esthitude.
P:S: If this post blessed you, do share this with as many women who need to read this.