BURNING DESIRE

Our secret desires can burn like fire, but God knows them all

Name: Mary
Origin: Magdala
Nick Name: Mary Magdalene
Resume: Ex nobody; Ex Prostitute;
Evangelist, Testimony and Gospel Carrier,
Supporter Of The Ministry Of Christ Himself.

Known by a sinful past for she was a lady of the night. Mary must have been the stain on the lips of mothers and wives when they needed an example of what a woman shouldn't be. This stigma placed Mary at the center of local gossip. No respectable man must be seen around Mary's residence or even in her company. An expert seductress,
pleasure seller, mid night delight; was she doing it out of the circumstances life dealt her or was she just a loose woman unable to control her needs and desires? That's another day's discuss. But for now, I wanna narrow the path of her desires to just "one desire". Her ultimate desire; "Forgiveness and acceptance", a sense of value.

Mary broke social and (her professional) protocol and dared to show her face at a social gathering arranged for a Holy Man of God. She pressed through judgmental eyes, and condemning little tongues with a broken heart and tearful eyes. I can't completely imagine what the action in this verse most have cost her...

"Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil." (John 12:3).

Mary anointing the feet of the Lord Jesus. 

Mary counted the cost of her sins and personal afflictions and weighted it against the cost of her savings (which was the costly oil with a surreal fragrance). By her estimation the oil wasn't even enough, so she marched it with the most precious gift of all: a broken heart.

Mary believed in Jesus. She saw true compassion in His being. He was like no other man she had met (and believe me she had met them all). Jesus was pure and true.

She wiped His feet as a sign of submission, symbolizing an acceptance to yield to His authority. She had finally found a man that had what she was looking for in un quantifiable proportions; love, dignity, compassion, respect, truthfulness, Holiness...
She allowed God melt her heart, thus a precious gift to make her way to the heart of a King and a broken heart in exchange for that "desire".

Life had stolen Mary's dignity. Life had stolen her pride. And in one setting and encounter, she was gonna claim it all. Mary wasn't only forgiven her past by the Master but her story was rewritten that same day. Jesus speaking said,

"Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." (Matthew 26:13).

I had a nasty past too. A lot of people too. But there is always that one bold moment of encounter. A moment when you not only face yourself squarely, but you face the world. This point is what will define you forever. No matter how hard it seems or how painful it is, I assure you, facing yourself, the world and God will sure bring you peace of mind and an eternal selfless fulfillment and purpose in life.

Do you have a desire? Step up... You are next.