Key Verse: Verse 1 – “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.”
Mary is called Magdalene because she was from the city of Magdala.
Mary, before her salvation, was a tormented woman who was demon-possessed. We are told in Mark 16:9 that she was possessed with seven devils.
Mary is mentioned fourteen times in the Gospels. Eight times she is mentioned with other women, but she always heads the list, implying that she occupied a place of spiritual leadership among the women who followed Jesus. Five times when she is mentioned alone, it is in connection with the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Mary is one of three followers of Jesus who stood by the cross at the crucifixion, she was the first person to witness the empty tomb of our Savior.
Mary Magdalene gives us a picture of dedication to the Lord.
Bertoldo de Giovanni is a name even the most enthusiastic lover of art is unlikely to recognize. He was the pupil of Donatello, the greatest sculptor of his time, and he was the teacher of Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time. Michelangelo was only fourteen years old when he came to Bertoldo, but it was already obvious that he was enormously gifted. Bertoldo was wise enough to realize that gifted people are often tempted to coast rather than to grow, and therefore he kept trying to pressure his young prodigy to work seriously at his art. One day he came into the studio to find Michelangelo toying with a piece of sculpture far beneath his abilities. Bertoldo grabbed a hammer, stomped across the room, and smashed the work into tiny pieces, shouting this unforgettable message, “Michelangelo, talent is cheap; dedication is costly.”
What to do:
✞ We have a lot of “believers” but very few dedicated ones. Today, would you determine to not just be “saved” but be dedicated to the Lord as well.
Are you Saved? | Get These Devotions By Email
