Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today – God is inappropriate in who He chooses to give the place of honour.
Mark 16:9-11 TPT
[9] Early on the first day of the week, after rising from the dead, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. [10] After she had seen Jesus, she ran to tell his disciples, who were all emotionally devastated and weeping. [11] Excitedly, Mary told them, “He’s alive and I’ve seen him!” But even after hearing this, they didn’t believe her.
Observation
All throughout Gods story with humanity, He seems to reserve places of honour for unlikely characters. Mary is a woman, she has been delivered from affliction by Jesus, and here she is the first person to see him risen. And of course – she is not believed. God never responds to position, class, deservedness. His centre stage is always given to the last, least and lowly. His lens is the heart, not the outward appearance. He is not impressed with what impresses the world.
The honour of sitting at His table is given to the unexpected, it’s given to me. God calls me to himself, He opens the door to the honour of His table, He sends me with the call to represent Him. When I review these invitations my only response is unworthiness, I feel last, least and lowly in the face of His invitation. But God does not flinch, He does not withdraw despite my objections at His inappropriate invitation. I sense His smile at my bewilderment, and as He extends His hand I lose my objections and join Mary Magdalene, and thousands of others, who undeservedly receive His honour.
“He’s alive and I’ve seen him!” This is the invitation to all humanity. Not to hear it from Mary, but to see it for yourself. Hearing it from any Mary will only result in disbelief. Gods invitation, is come and see. It’s an invitation to a treasure hunt where ongoing revelation is discovered by all who would come to see. God does not invite us to believe, it’s to see. It’s not an invitation to ascribe to intellectual comprehension of proposed truth by Mary, it’s an invitation to experience at a level of intimate spirit that He is alive, “I’ve seen him.” Resurrection is supernatural, so is believing in a resurrected saviour. It’s a personal supernatural revelation and it’s open to the least, last and lowly.
Application
I will not allow my assessment of my inappropriateness to keep me from the invitation of my inappropriate God. I will not allow my assessment of being an unlikely character to keep me from the honour of intimacy, table and calling. I will continue to open myself beyond intellectual capacity to be amazed by the realisation and experience that – “He’s alive.”
Response
Thank you that you allowed a Mary to be the first to see you risen. Thank you that this honour speaks to me about the honour you offer to all Mary’s. Thank you that you place upon me such deep honour by your invitations. Thank you that you are not impressed by what impresses the world. Thank you that you have allowed me to join Mary and to have seen you alive. No greater honour has ever been given. I am blessed!
Meditation
Do you allow your estimation of self to keep you from all that God would bless and honour you with?
Do you see your least, last, lowliness as a disqualification from honour or the positioning for honour?
JOURNEY DEEPER
