I was inspired by this one line from one of Ann Voskamp’s devotion (A Letter for the Long Haul) that showed up in my inbox just when I seemed to really need this kind of encouragement. It is easy to underestimate our part in the Kingdom, yet if we each played our role (no matter how insignificant and small it seemed in our own eyes) the tapestry of the pieces woven together from all of God’s saints do surely tell an amazing story!
There isn’t a book devoted to the life of Mary Magdalene for example, but her part in God’s revealed story is significant to say the least. To get out of bed on a morning when her heart was heavy and full of grief from the loss of a dear friend who had set her free and given her such a great sense of belonging could not have been easy. Her part in His kingdom was needed—because shortly after her waking up early to visit His grave, re-living the horror she had witnessed the previous few days of Jesus’ suffering, I’m sure Mary did not consider herself to be on an important mission, but she was. Only moments later—Jesus would call her by name AND send her to deliver perhaps the most important messages in all of history!
“…go and tell My brothers, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God”. John summarizes this discourse in Chapter 20 of his gospel in this way. Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the LORD!” And she told them what He had said to her.
Five little simple words, but a world-shaking, generation changing kind of a difference! I doubt very highly that Mary had considered her walk to the tomb that morning a significant part in building God’s kingdom. She had no idea just what she was about to walk into. This post resurrection story of our risen Christ would simply not be the same without Mary putting one foot in front of the other and pressing F O R W A R D in spite her pain, confusion and feeling bewildered. She was not the Chief of Staff at a world leading organization, she was not well known for any major accomplishments, she was simply a girl—a woman—a person like you and me who chose to be brave in spite the fear that had gripped the little sheep whose Shepherd had been struck, wounded and buried for three long days.
You too must keep doing the hard things my friend! Hard things like getting out of bed, getting on your knees once more for that colleague for whose soul your heart continues to travail, cracking that Bible open for your daily bread, loving your street with tears and a cold cup of water, digging around that seed you planted in the dirt that you await to sprout as you watch over it in the same way your heavenly Father watches over His own word to fulfill it ~
No surrender; no retreat. No turning back and no giving up hope! You’ve got to keep going for now. Your part in His kingdom is needed. You keep doing those BIG things that seem so small because ultimately, it is about you moving forward that terrifies the enemy. We don’t know when we might be leaving some of the greatest marks on the world. It all matters my friend—ALL!