Jesus not only knew Mary Magdalene’s name, he knew everthing about her. He remembered the day he had cast the demons out of her. He remembered her many practical kindnesses. He saw how she suffered with him as she watched him die on the cross.
Just as Jesus knews the intimate details of Mary’s life, he knows about you. When you are tempted to lose hope, when life seems too empty to go on, when grief ovewhelms you – Jesus cares. When those you love have let you down, when you think you can’t go on for another minute, when your problems crush you – Jesus cares. He calls your name, just as he called Mary’s. And you, too, can go on like Mary Magdalene and the women who went from the tomb, perhaps still a bit afraid yet “filled with joy” (Matthew 28:8).
My desire is to be like Mary Magdalene! She followed Jesus not out of a legalistic understanding of her faith, she followed Jesus because of an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Like Mary, I want to surrender my darkness to Jesus, have a faith that waits and watch for his delivering power to fill me with joy.
