LETTER FOR SEPTEMBER 1990
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Dear Friends,

May I take you with me to the morning of the resurrection recorded in John’s Gospel chapter 20, where we see Mary Magdalene weeping in the garden beside the empty tomb, where the body of Jesus had been.

She had gone to the tomb very early to minister to the dead body of Jesus, and had found the tomb empty. She was devastated. It had been bad enough to know her dear Lord had died such a shameful and cruel death, but now someone had desecrated the tomb and stolen the body. Her first reaction was to call Peter and John, but after they had left, and their coming not having seemed to help much, she stays weeping her heart out in the garden, hungering for Jesus.

The story goes on in verses 10 to 18 how she sees two angels, and in her grief does not heed them, and then how Jesus speaks to her, and she thinks he is the gardener. But when Jesus says, “Mary”, she realises with ecstatic joy that Jesus is with her. She runs to him crying “Rabboni” which means “Teacher”.

Mary loved Jesus deeply and sought Jesus with all her heart, seeking him in every way that she knew how. This seeking of Jesus was rewarded. She was the first to see Jesus alive after his resurrection. She was the first to enter into the joy of the resurrection. She was blessed with a special and personal visitation of Jesus

In a word, Jesus satisfied the soul of Mary with his presence and love, and with a message of assurance of salvation to her heart. He made this in the words of verse 17 - “I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God arid to your God”. She was assured that Jesus was her Lord and God; that he was alive for ever; that he was returning to heaven; that he had made her a member of God’s Family; and that she had a place with Jesus in heaven as well. Her whole being was filled with gladness.

Those who hunger after Jesus and seek him with all their heart will never be disappointed. Jesus never fails to meet with them as he did Mary. Those who seek Jesus most in the various means of grace we are given, and seek his love, will be the ones who know his love, presence and assurance of Salvation most.

Because Mary sought Jesus and his love more than the rest of the disciples she was given this precious blessing of seeing Jesus first after his resurrection.

May I encourage you to seek Jesus with all your heart. To be encouraged to do so by the example and blessing Mary received. You will not be disappointed.

This is the heart of Christian blessing and joy. It is all we should seek in religion. We should not be seeking position, or reward, or recognition in the fellowship of Christ’s people, but seeking Jesus. This is where our heart’s desire and peace of soul will be found.

If we seek Jesus in this way, and find the increasing joy of his presence and love, it will not matter to us whether we have honour from others, for we will have honour from Jesus.

Because of being deeply loved by Jesus and knowing it, we will simply want to share his love with others in any way we are able, not being disappointed or upset when our service does not seem to be recognised by the fellowship. Our contentment in Jesus will make this of little Importance, for we have the recognition of him.

Our service and relationships with others will be an aroma and fragrance of the Lord. Others will see Jesus in us. Our Saviour will be glorified. There will be no tension in our relationship, and people will be comfortable with us, and the acceptance from others will come without effort.

The actions of others, which often causes pain, we will be able to cope with better, because we know the love and blessing of Jesus. His love will be balm healing all the hurts from people and circumstances around.

Make this the centre of your spiritual aspiration, to know the love of Jesus which passes knowledge. May this be your aim in every activity you come to in our church. People let you down, but Jesus will never let you down.

Meditate on Mary’s heart’s desire in the garden and make it yours, so that the blessing of Mary by the empty tomb may also be yours.

Your servant for Christ’s sake,