Mary of Migdal
Psalm 42
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God."
(PSALM 42:1)
As our tour bus makes its morning stop in the misty March air, we step out and ask a favor from the watchman. A few shekels are exchanged; we are granted access to the outside area of a carefully cordoned archeological dig, yet to become a tourist site. We are at Migdal, where, in 2009, workers came across for the first time a 1st century synagogue where Jesus would have preached. Inside the center of this wealthy house of worship, an engraved seven-branched menorah was found. This might be where Jesus met Mary Magdalene and delivered her from seven demons, inviting her to follow Him. That great transformation in her life may have happened here.
Mary Magdalene stayed with Jesus at the foot of the cross, alongside Mary the mother of Jesus. Her faith would be rewarded later as she was one of the first to find the empty tomb and see the risen Lord. For all of us, it is good to remember who we once were and where Jesus leads us now: to the cross, to the empty tomb, and to rejoicing in His presence today.
INSIGHT
JESUS INVITES US TO FOLLOW HIM, TO MAKE OUR WAY TO THE CROSS AND LIVE OUR LIVES IN LIGHT OF THE EMPTY TOMB.
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 25-26
Psalm 74
John 16
Psalm 42[a][b]
For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 42:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.
b. Psalm 42:1 In Hebrew texts 42:1-11 is numbered 42:2-12.
c. Psalm 42:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
d. Psalm 42:4 See Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
FOR GOD SO LOVED - JOHN 3:16 [PART 5]
Can you share the gospel in a sentence? It's not as hard as you might think. In fact, the disciple whom Jesus loved already wrote it for you. All you have to do is know it, believe it, and repeat it.
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