Time with Jesus - Sunday, 20 May
2012
Hi all,
Most of us of us have several
favourite Scripture passages. One of mine is the one we look at in our
meditation. It’s about Mary Magdalene and Jesus in the garden outside His tomb.
This passage touches me deeply. There is so much more here than a distraught
woman, desperately trying to find the man she loves. See what you think!
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
Time with Jesus – Sunday, 20 May 2012
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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To
the best of my knowledge, Mary Magdalene was the first person to see and
recognise Jesus after He had risen from the dead. Many people have asked,
“Why did Jesus appear to Mary first?” It’s a good question and there are no
real answers. What can be said is that this appearance was perhaps the most
poignant of all. The dialog “oozes” love in an extraordinary way. Her grief
that He was not in the tomb where she had last seen His body. Her extreme
anguish as she blurted out her request to the “gardener” asking where they
had put His body. There is a tone of desperation in these words that speak
volumes about her love for Him. Then, while her eyes were looking anywhere
and everywhere in a frantic desire to find Him. It only took one word. “Mary”
spoken in His familiar voice in a tone of loving understanding. She spun
round and threw herself at His feet in abandoned joy while crying out the
word, “Rabboni”. “Master, my Master” or “Teacher.” All her pent up emotion
since the crucifixion exploded out of her.
If
you look hard enough you will find expressed in this one word the voice of
humanity. The trial is over. The guilt and shame of the fall pours out of
her. It’s is said in a way that only the pure devotion of a woman for the man
she loves supremely can be expressed like this. This is the sound of the
Bride of Christ desperately, passionately wanting to be with Him forever.
It
may be knowledge of this which prompts Him to gently release Himself from her
adoring grip on His feet. “Not Yet Mary” He seems to be saying. “First I must
Go to My Father and your Father!” I must prepare a place for my bride. Then
in the fullness of time I will come back for you and bring you to where I am.
If
I’m reading more into this than I should, I must say it comes from my
imagination. A gift from the Lord that I enjoy. It also gives me the opportunity
to speak what is on my heart. They tell me that silence is golden. By logical
deduction, speech must be silver.
Today’s meditation was composed in 1998. At that
time it was composed to bring encouragement for a certain brother in the Lord.
In a way he was looking round desperately to find direction. The poem helped
Him get focussed on Jesus so that he could love and serve Him to the best of
his ability. I could sense the desperation in his quest. It reminded me of
Mary Magdalene at the garden tomb.
Our love for Him and His love for us inspires much
like Mary’s love for Jesus. He has become an unquenchable fire in the heart
which only He can satisfy. All else is secondary. “Rabboni” we cry.
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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16 Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him. Then she cried out in the Aramaic language,
"Rabboni!" Rabboni means Teacher.
John 20:16 NIrV
1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who
formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have
redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Isaiah 43:1 ESV
3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep
hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
John 10:3-4 ESV
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of
my hands; your walls are ever before me.
Isaiah 49:16 TNIV
19 But God's truth stands firm like a
foundation stone with this inscription: "The LORD knows those who are
His," and "All who belong to the LORD must turn away from
evil."
2 Timothy 2:19 NLT
14 Now that we know what we have--Jesus,
this great High Priest with ready access
to God--let's not let it slip through our fingers.
Hebrews 4:14 MSG
9 Next take two onyx
stones and engrave the names of the sons of Israel on them in the order of
their birth,
Exodus 28:9 MSG
12 Fasten the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the Ephod--they are
memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will
wear these names on his shoulders as a memorial before GOD.
Exodus 28:12 MSG
15 "Now make a Breast piece of
Judgment, using skilled craftsmen, the same as with the Ephod. Use
gold; blue, purple, and scarlet material; and fine twisted linen. 16
Make it nine inches square and folded double. 17 Mount four rows of precious gemstones on it.
First row: carnelian, topaz, emerald.
Exodus 28:15-17 MSG
21 The twelve stones correspond to the names
of the Israelites, with twelve names engraved, one on each, as on a seal for
the twelve tribes.
Exodus 28:21 MSG
30 Place the Urim and Thummim in the Breast-piece of Judgment. They will
be over Aaron's heart when he enters the presence of GOD. In this way Aaron will regularly carry the Breast-piece
of Judgment into the presence of GOD.
Exodus 28:30 MSG
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The colour of the jewels God wears upon His crown
Are black and white and yellow and sometimes red and brown.
These colours are His people; The jewels He has made
To bring mankind deliverance; To comfort those afraid;
Each child of His is different and each one has a gift;
And God has made you eloquent so that your voice can lift
The people to His presence; To minister with fire;
To speak of what is on your heart, so that you can inspire
His people with the message which He desires to bring.
So thunder with compassion; Erupt and duly sing
A new song to His people, though they be black or white.
Spread wide your arms to call them home and you will see the sight
Of people in repentance before His royal throne;
Of others with a heart of flesh made from their hearts of stone!
For men will be delivered through what you have to say.
The power of His Holy Word will hold men in His sway
To do what He desires. You'll be His instrument
To bring about revival and cause men to repent!
So use all of your learning to exercise your tongue;
Speak forth the word of wisdom and prophesy among
The people you are sent to. Like Barnabas and Paul,
Be strong in your anointing. Lift up your head! Walk tall!!!
Declare The Lord our Righteousness and all His Holiness
And watch His Holy Spirit move out to save and bless
The men and women listening. For that is what must be.
For you've been called to minister for Christ, His Majesty,
To those of different colours! To black and white and grey!
Be not afraid of what's ahead, but hurry to obey!
For then you'll know His fullness far more than you can think;
Of green and blue and purple; Of orange and of pink!
A multi-coloured people of huge variety
Alive and well and living for Christ eternally.
Jim Strickland – Written 1998
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