Just As We Are

Just As We Are

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” John 20:16

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1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). John 20:1-16 (NIV)

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Do you ever get fed up with washing dishes, running messages for others, wiping
noses, changing diapers, making beds, dusting, cleaning or working? Sometimes
you just feel like you are a servant for everyone. It may seem that your
calling in life is to be used by others.

To make matters worse, all of the service is not appreciated very much. You have
come to realize that you will never be a mover and a shaker. Wealth isn’t very
likely in your situation. Maybe you don’t see yourself as one of the ‘beautiful
people’; your speech demonstrates your limited education and life seems so dreary.

In the gospel of Luke, we find that Mary Magdalene had been a used woman.
She had been possessed by seven demons. Whatever this possession meant, it surely
resulted in Mary Magdalene being different. Undoubtedly she was either exploited
or avoided. Life was a huge challenge. She didn’t fit. But Jesus loved her.
Without any chorus of angels to announce what was happening, Mary
encountered Jesus and her life was never the same again. She followed
Jesus and served Him. Mundane things became acts of endearment.

In John’s gospel, we find Mary Magdalene staying behind at the empty tomb.
Without Jesus, there was nowhere for her to go. Jesus approached Mary. Against all
social customs, Jesus was alone with Mary. The message of His resurrection would
be carried by a female in a male-dominated society. He hadn’t chosen to reveal
Himself to Nicodemus the Jewish leader nor, at this time, to His disciples.
He chose a woman with no claim to fame, one who usually stood alone
in the background and had a checkered past.

Mary must have been close to exploding when she realized Jesus was there with
her. He simply said her name: “Mary.”

Take comfort. Jesus loves you and me the same way — as we are. The service you
provide, the lack of acknowledgement by others, the mundane nature of daily tasks
can all fade into the distance as you and I realize that we are friends of Jesus.
He notices, He cares and He loves us — by name! As you fulfill your
responsibilities today, stop and consider whether or not you can see Jesus in those
you serve. Let your service be acts of adoration and worship.

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Heavenly Father, I feel so inadequate. I really don’t pray very well. I have so many
friends who seem to be able to talk to You so freely but I always struggle with what
I should say. You know me, I still have a lot of baggage in my life and I often get
embarrassed by the things I say, do and think.

Thank You for loving me and sticking with me. It is because You believe in me that
I am beginning to believe in myself. Amen.

- Noel Churchman

Noel was the Executive Director of Christian Horizons form 1976 to 2001. The devotionals we will be using are from a book he wrote in 2005 called “Walking with God”. Noel’s reflections are grounded in his experiences as an educator, and provider of supports for individuals with exceptional needs as well as his life as a dedicated follower of Christ.