What do you think of when you hear about one of the most
famous women in the Bible, Mary Magdalene? Repentant prostitute or perhaps
Jesus’ lover or wife as portrayed in the Davinci Code? To set the record straight,
neither of these claims are true! Mary Magdalene is not the prostitute in Luke
7: 36-50 who wiped the feet of Jesus with her tears and anointed them with
expensive nard. Neither is she the woman who was caught in the act of adultery and
was about to get stoned by the Jews, when Jesus rescued her. Then who is she?
There are twelve references to Mary of Magdala in
the Bible. The first reference points to her as a close follower of Jesus along with
some other woman (Luke 8:2-3). This is an amazing thing for her to do as a
woman of the first century. Jewish men did not regard woman highly, nor often associate
with them outside the home. The apostles were surprised when they found Jesus even
talking to the woman by the well. To
have woman following him must have been controversial. Yet Mary Magdalene not
only followed him but gave of what she had to aid in His ministry. This is
another surprising fact in Luke since she was not a wealthy woman but form a
humble town in Galilee. Mary gave her time, treasure and talents to Jesus, indicating her
close relationship. But what makes her stand out from other woman of the Bible?
An amazing deliverance!
In Mark chapter seven we learn that Mary Magdalene had seven
demons cast out of her. Imagine the torment and anguish she must have known before
she met Jesus. I know I was tormented in my own way before I came to know him.
Having grown up with two bipolar parents I never knew what to expect, so at the
age of eighteen when I went off to college, I never returned to live at home. Looking
for love in all the wring places, I got swept up into the counter culture,
hippy movement. By the time I was twenty-three I had lived with several
different men, traveled in over ten countries in Europe, became an art student
and was suffering from loneliness and deep depression. I remember feeling borderline
suicidal and my painting teacher told me my self-portrait looked surprisingly like
a shaman. Why am I telling your this? Because I know a few years later at twenty-five
I had an encounter with Jesus and He delivered me from all of my fears, just
like Jesus delivered Mary Magdalene. Though it took a number of years as I
began to change my lifestyle, pray and read the Bible, I walked out of much of my depression, loneliness, and insecurity. I found true meaning in my life, rather than a self indulgent, I centered path of an artist. I know if God delivered me,
He can deliver you too!
It might not be overnight, but if you open yourself up to Jesus and get close to Him in a spiritual way like Mary Magdalene did, He will fill your heart with unconditional love and a sense of purpose and worth. This is what drew Mary to give up whatever lifestyle she had before and walk with Jesus, contributing whatever she had of her time, talents and money. Her deliverance form the seven demons must have been a dramatic experience, so freeing that she was willing to risk all for Jesus. Even if our deliverance is not a dramatic experience, what Christ does in our life to rescue us from our sin nature is just as important as any demonic deliverance. He frees us form the torment of self, who can be a hard task master. So whatever our experience with Jesus, let us be passionate for Him as Mary Magdalene's life attests.
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