Turn Around - Daily Devotional March 30th, 2010

Bible Reading - Leviticus 1, John 20, Proverbs 17, Philippians 4

Turn Around

This weekend all around the world people will be celebrating Easter, the resurrection weekend of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we celebrate we will celebrate all that Jesus Christ did on the cross and the very fact that He rose from the grave conquering sin and death once and for all. We will celebrate the very fact that in Jesus Christ our sin is turned around into righteousness, our sickness has been turned around into health, our sadness has been turned around into joy, our poverty has been turned around into righteousness and our death has been turned around into life. We will be celebrating the biggest turn around ever known to man.

In John 20:1-18 as it recounts the story of when some went to the tomb it shows us that Mary experienced a turn around for herself. John 20:16-18 says, "Jesus said to her, "Mary."'She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"—and that he had said these things to her'". In all that Jesus Christ turned around through His life, death, burial and resurrection still His greatest efforts are seen today in turning around humanity. It was not until Mary heard Jesus say her name that she personally "turned around" and saw Jesus for herself.

Turning the faith and hearts of humanity is the greatest message of the cross but unfortunately it has proven to be the most difficult. Many of us want Jesus to come and turn around our circumstances, we want him to to turn around our pain, we want him to turn around our relationships etc, etc. While we are waiting for Him to do all of this for us Jesus is simply waiting for us to turn around and see Him! For He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25) and if we just turn around and see Him then in Him we receive all these other things that we are believing for in our life. Mary experienced the turn around that Jesus wants all humanity to experience the turn around of our faith and belief in Him.

Revelation 3:20 says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me". Mary heard that voice call her name and that is when she turned around. The same voice that called Mary's name is calling all humanity today and as He calls we need to have enough faith to turn around, open the door and let Him in because God more often than not is working to turn you around rather than your circumstance. Hear His voice like Mary did today and experience a turn around in your life.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Leviticus 2-3, John 21, Proverbs 18, Colossians 1

Dream Big
Ben