The day we don't deserve

Yesterday had a very sweet feel. One of the sweetest Easters I can remember. Could have been the great church service, the awesome food, the very peaceful nap afterward. It was a joy spending the day with my wife and little girl. I had a very somber moment at the beginning of the service and the thought crossed my mind. " I don't deserve this day...none of us do." I owe everything to Jesus and pay so little. I just can't seem to get over the fact lately how God's love comes to life. I've read John 20 several times the last couple of days and something just catches my spirit. Mary Magdalene.....Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene first. It never really struck me until lately. Not His mother Mary, not John, not Peter, or James. He appeared to Mary Magdalene. I think Mary Magdalene's faith can be described best in Luke when Jesus speaks to Simon about the sinful women who anoints His feet. Is the sinful women Mary? Couldn't tell you...some think it is some think not. I do think it explains the deep love Mary Magdalene had for Jesus.

" There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most.
( Luke 7:41-43)

I do know Mary's love for Jesus was pure, genuine, and very strong. Jesus cast seven demons out of Mary and she became a follower from that moment on. She was from the city of Magdala, a city known for prostitution, this has led scholars to believe she was a prostitute, which would make sense. What I do know is Jesus freed a woman possessed by seven demons and possibly living a life of prostitution and broke the chains, washed her white as snow. She was probably not too far from being dead when Jesus cast out the demons and freed her from her life of bondage. I wonder what her demons were? Demons of lust, drugs, idolatry, greed, murder lies...who knows. But our Jesus did what He does, He saved. Mary knew a life she had never imagined. I bet Mary Magdalene knew and understood the love of Jesus better then any of the disciples. Her debt was greater and in turn her love was deeper. We see proof of Mary's genuine love, she stays by the cross of Jesus when all the disciples with the exception of John hide. Can you imagine how sweet her name must have sounded coming off the lips of the risen Savior in John 20:16 "Mary." I bet her eyes filled with joyful tears and her heart skipped a few beats as she gave him that same huge hug when he cast out the demons, shouting ..." Rabboni!". I am sure smarter people then me have a reason why Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene first. My opinion, Mary 'got it', she knew what it was to be truly sanctified by Christ. Mary teaches me a lesson I needed to learn. Through her faithfulness I see Mary didn't allow Satan to convince her that her scars were guilt that would never go away, She looked at her scars as a reminder of what Jesus had washed away. She spent the rest of her life serving Christ for that grace. I pray I do the same. As the old hymnal praises, ' All to Him I owe'