The Beauty of Persistence
(John 20:1-16)
The Lord never discriminated against women during His earthly ministry. His ministry towards women brought a new dimension to existing laws and practices that obtained in the early days. Women became partakers of the grace that was in Christ.
Mary Magdalene was a recipient of grace and she maximized the grace. A woman, who previously was under demonic bondage, experienced deliverance and committed her life to serving the Lord who saved her. Mary could just not let go of Jesus, even after the crucifixion. She was the first to observe the stone had been rolled away! While Peter and the other disciple saw the stone rolled away and the clothes folded, to them there was nothing more to see; they went back to their homes but Mary stood yet! She stayed back and took another look inside the sepulcher. Alas, she saw something that the disciples did not see! She saw the two angels in white sitting and eventually, she saw the Lord!
I have never ceased to wonder at the two different results received by the two sets of disciples in this chapter. I appreciate good results and this led me to examine what led to the positive result that Mary experienced.
Why did Mary have a different result? How come she saw what the other disciples did not see? Persistence! She stayed a little longer! She was a quick comer but not a quick goer. She came early in the morning and tarried until she saw something. She saw the angels and a little step further, saw the Lord!
Many times we come before the Lord but are too quick to leave. Often times we seek the Lord in prayer but do not tarry long enough for the answer to come before we begin to think of other options; we pray but do not pray through. Only if we will tarry a little longer shall we see the spectacular! Are you trusting in the Lord for something? Do not be in a hurry to give up! Keep praying, keep waiting on Him, keep trusting in Him. Do not grow weary in prayer; but persist until you see the result; pray until something happens. God will definitely show up for you!
