Devotion

Mark 15:40-47 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. 42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
 
TO be devoted to Jesus is to have a consistent, loving response to Jesus’ grace. The four people in this scripture are good examples of such a devoted life. Mary Magdalene, Luke tells us, was healed from seven demons. Mary is the mother of James the younger (the smaller or younger disciple James) and Joses, apparently a man well-known in the early church. Salome is the apostles James’ and John’s mother. Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy man of the Ruling Council. He opposed Jesus’ crucifixion. And John partners him with Nicodemus in Jesus’ burial. Joseph gave his new family tomb for Jesus’ body.
   The three women were consistently with Jesus during his ministry. They loved Jesus because of his tender care on their own lives. And they saw his mercy extend to Israel’s suffering people. They watched his magnificent healings and marveled at his authoritative teachings.   They also knew that as fully man, the Lord needed their faithful support to care for his physical needs.
   One day their devotion took them farther than they could have imagined. There they were at the cross, still with Jesus, witnessing the bitter, brutal end of their beloved Master’s life.
   Devoted to  him in life, they remained courageously committed to stay with him even into his death. They wept for him at the cross. They followed his body to the tomb. They needed to know where he is buried, so they could anoint his body with spices for the Lord’s proper burial.
   Joseph could not help Jesus in life, so he honored Jesus in his death with the very valuable new family tomb. Then he affirmed Jesus’ body was secure as he rolled the stone over the entrance to the tomb. (This refers to Joseph overseeing this work; he would not have been able to move the massive stone on his own.)
   How can you express devotion to Jesus? You can’t physically care for Jesus as the women did, but you can care for and love others as he instructs us. You can also stand in his truth even when others abandon or minimize him. Devotion to God is to love him with all your heart. Devotion to God is to love others as yourself.
     What do you say, then, are you devoted to Jesus?