May 4 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Mary of Magdala (Luke 8:2) loved Jesus very much. Jesus had done so much for her. No wonder she is at the tomb very early in the morning to finish the embalming. Now she has found the grave open and his body missing. She is utterly confused.

Mary is blind, physically because her eyes are filled with tears, and spiritually because she does not yet believe his resurrection. That's why she speaks to Jesus as if he were the gardener. But when Jesus says her name as only he can say it, the light breaks through the clouds. With a cry of joy she falls at his feet. She must have thrown her arms around the Lord's knees and held him tightly, as one who reclaims a precious possession.

Then the Lord says that she may not hold on to him. Mary does not understand it yet, but things are not the way they used to be. It's going to be better than it was. Jesus is now entering the second stage of his great work of redemption. He is ascending to the Father.

Mary must let go of Jesus, but she may do something for the Lord. And this is only her first little job. In the second stage of the Lord's work, Christ is going to use those who love him in many ways and for many tasks. The message he gives Mary already indicates what he has accomplished by his death and resurrection: the disciples are his "brothers." His God is their God, and his Father is their Father.

But the whole purpose of the Lord's future work, the whole scope of his heavenly ministry, cannot possibly be clear to Mary. She knows that he lives, and she has heard that he must continue his work.

Really she does not have to worry. She may be just a little disappointed that she may not hold on to him now, but Christ is going to a place where he can forever hold on to Mary—and to all those who love him.

REFLECTIONS

In what ways might we still try to hold on to Jesus, as Mary did?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.