There was a woman who lived in a culture where women were treated disrespectfully yet her singular action presaged an era of grace. When King Xerxes reigned in Persia, his evil prime minister, Haman, plotted to kill all the Jews in the entire Persian Empire. King Xerxes’ wife, Esther, herself a Jew, informed the king of the plot and the fate of the Jews was entirely turned around resulting in Haman, his 10 sons and all haters of the Jews being destroyed. Thereafter, the Jews enjoyed peace and security.
The first person to touch Jesus after He was born was His mother, the virgin Mary, but the first person to touch him as the first born from the dead was another Mary, a woman delivered of 7 unclean spirits. Why have I put these 2 incidents together?
Both incidents give us an idea of the importance that God has placed on women. In societies that placed women on lower levels to men, God elevated them to be heralds of liberty. Jesus, in greeting Mary outside the tomb, was ushering in a new era of grace, peace and security that had started with the destruction of sin. Jesus demonstrated the acceptance of all who seek Him as Saviour, regardless of their background, failure and sin.
Just as an exiled woman was the harbinger of freedom for believers in God in the days of Xerxes, so a disregarded woman announced the resurrection of her Lord and the freeing of “those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Heb. 2:15 NIV). Those who put their faith in Jesus are now free from condemnation and the effects of sin: disease and death.
Jesus welcomes all those who want to put their trust in Him. He has destroyed all the power of the Enemy to kill your body, steal your joy and destroy your peace and He offers you an abundance of life (John 10:10). All it takes is for you to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
Why don’t you pray with me?
Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God and I thank you that you died for my sins and rose again from the dead. I ask you to forgive me of the bad things that I have done and ask for your complete forgiveness. I promise to love and serve you for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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