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March 2004 Table of Contents
In Spirit And Truth
Mary Magdalene
By Steve Phifer
Worship Arts Pastor
Word of Life International Church
Springfield, VA
stphifer@aol.com
Worship Arts Resources
 She had not slept, really. O there were periods of unconsciousness, of fitful, restless nothingness, but no real sleep. It was still dark as she looked in on the Lord's mother. This Mary from Magdala would have to awaken the Mary from Nazareth. They had to go to the tomb.
She gently shook Mary's shoulder. Her deep breathing shallowed into a sigh as she turned and smiled at the younger woman. Mother Mary's eyes were as red as any in this company of care-givers. They had fed Jesus, clothed Him, boarded Him, listened to Him and loved Him through His amazing life, and amazingly, through an agonizing death. They had clothed Him one final time in the linen of the grave. Without speaking they prepared for their journey.
Mary Magdalene's thoughts raced through her tired brain. Random words of scripture confronted her. Since she was a little girl, like all the girls in Magdala, Mary had prayed the Psalms, memorizing them. Throughout her life, at the oddest times, words from the Psalms would suddenly spring to the front of her mind. For a woman who had fallen into a life of sin, these sudden bursts of scripture were a nuisance. But since Jesus delivered her, she welcomed them. This morning it was,
"Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; My body also will rest secure, because You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay."
She would not let herself think of Jesus, still and cold, in that dark stone tomb.
"You will not abandon me to the grave."
She knew something of the grave. She had lived her own living death, a tomb guarded by seven demons. They forced her, controlled her, used her. Then she heard the voice of Jesus, quiet and clear, slicing through the hellish din of her seven tormentors. They screamed in agony at His presence but were powerless before Him. At his calm command they fled Mary's soul. As light seeped into her darkness, she saw Jesus' face for the first time. What would this strong man demand of her? In His face she saw no reason to fear. She immerged from her private tomb into a world of peace and light, of rest and security. It was all in His face! He would not force her. He would never use her. His Lordship over her would be a reign of peace, not terror, of disciplined joy, not shackles and bruises and broken promises.
Now He was in His own tomb.
"...nor will You let Your Holy One see decay."
In the darkness of her soul, her thoughts began to break down. It was all an illusion, the foolish dreams of foolish women who had believed the words of a man. As long as Jesus was in that tomb, Mary's sins were still in her soul. The emptiness of the tomb-life was nothing compared to the emptiness she felt at the foot of the cross.
"My God, my God why have you forsaken me?"
Silently, shrouded in black against the pale dawn sky, the women arrived at the tomb. The earth began to shake. An angel in shining raiment appeared and rolled the heavy stone away. Each feminine heart stopped as each woman ceased to breathe-a brief moment of death for each of them.
"Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay."
Their hearts started beating again as they resumed breathing, a brief moment of resurrection for each of them. The angel told them to go and tell the men.
As they went, Jesus met them. He even called Mary of Magdala by name. She fell at his feet. Jesus swept away the darkness of her soul. It was not all a foolish dream.
"Do not cling to me, Mary. But go and tell the others."
She obeyed. But she would always cling to Him, in prayer as she found Him in the ancient psalms, and in life as His presence was with her always. No broken promises from this man!
This year, as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, let us each seek His face and find there, as Mary Magdalene did, the forgiveness, strength and peace we need. Only He can sweep away the darkness of our souls.
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