By delving into the true love Mary Magdalene and Apostle Paul had for the Lord, let's gain greater love for the Lord and enter the most glorious place in Heaven like the forefathers of faith.
Mary Magdalene and Apostle Paul Loved the Lord More than Their Own Lives
It says in Luke 8:2-3 that Mary Magdalene followed and served Jesus with her own means though she was very poor. She sacrificed herself and unchangingly followed Him because she had spiritual love for Him. Apostle Paul also loved the Lord more fervently than he loved himself. In any hardship or persecution, he loved the Lord to the point of giving up his own life in joy and thanksgiving (Acts 21:10-14).
The reason that the apostle Paul and Mary Magdalene loved the Lord more than their own lives was because they achieved the heart of spirit. Spiritual love naturally comes out from the heart of spirit. Although Mary Magdalene followed Jesus always, she never troubled Him and He felt peaceful in her service.
If we have fleshly thoughts, we cannot but serve in our own ways. But with the heart of spirit, we can understand the other's heart in spiritual thoughts and do what God wants. That is why Jesus could feel peace in Mary's service. Paul also loved the Lord with a spiritual heart, understood His heart, and fulfilled God-given duty well.
What should we do to accomplish such spiritual love?
First we should fully abandon our 'self'. The heart of spirit is accomplished when we remove every kind of fleshly thought and self-righteousness and avoided every form of evil. Spiritual love does not bring others suffering or pain. In the love we can give peace and joy to others by serving them with the knowledge of their hearts.
They Loved the Lord More Fervently than Anyone Else
Mary Magdalene loved the Lord to the point of feeling she could not live a day without Him. Sometimes the Lord seemed to treat her coldly and did not even turn His eye on her. She understood why the Lord treated her that way and considered it as His true love for her. So she felt joy and thankful.
While Jesus has great love in human nature, He had to show His divine nature more to fulfill His duty as the Savior. Mary even knew this heart of His and thought of everything He did as His love towards her. Suppose you devoted yourself to the Lord but nobody recognized you. If you do not want to keep doing so because no one seems to recognize you, you cannot say that you were devoted with true love for the Lord. In true love, you can dedicate everything regardless of others' recognition.
Apostle Paul was elitely educated under Gamaliel and had Roman citizenship. His success seemed to be guaranteed. But he counted all things as loss for the sake of Christ, in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:7-8). For the Lord he had suffered the loss of all things. His passion for the Lord had not cooled down at all even as he became a martyr. He was full of thanks and joy for the Lord's grace.
He did not turn his way or think his way was hard in spite of unbearable trials and hardships. Rather, he thought over subjects to give thanks and gave thanks. It did not matter to him whether wicked people tried to kill him or put him in deep prison cells. He had no fear or confusion when he was adrift on the sea for a day and a night three different times because of shipwreck. He gave thanks to the Lord for forgiving all his sins of having persecuted the Lord, for leading him to pile up heavenly rewards, and reaching the more glorious position in heaven. He gave thanks since he had been given many chances to repay the grace of the Lord and for humbling his heart through the persecutions and hardships.
They Never Changed Their Heats in Any Circumstances
Mary Magdalene followed Jesus onto the hill of Golgotha where He would be crucified. In that situation, she could have suffered harm for having been with Jesus. Other disciples fled and hid themselves in fear. But she did not leave Jesus up to the last moment. Her love did not change even after Jesus breathed His last. On the next day of the Sabbath she came to His tomb at dawn to anoint Him with spices. When she came to the tomb, she met the risen Lord (John 20:1-18).
The reason that she gained such great glory to see the resurrected Lord first was that she loved Him passionately more than her own life, and served Him unchangingly until the last moment. When she came to the tomb, the risen Lord told her to preach His resurrection to people and promised to let her see Him soon. After she received the promise of the Lord, she preached His resurrection to the people and His disciples until He called her into heaven.
Apostle Paul's love for the Lord never cooled down as well under any circumstances until he was martyred. He met many severe hardships and trials, but his heart was full of the Lord. He thought hardships as fertilizer to bear more precious fruit and all pains as a whip for him to run faster. Since he had such an unchanging heart, even when he was about to martyr, his heart was overflowing with joy and expectation that he would see the Lord soon.
Apostle Paul and Mary Magdalene did not say they would do something if the Lord would strengthen them. But they said they would do everything for the Lord because they thought the love the Lord gave to them was so great. They loved the Lord unchangingly. And, as a result they finally went into the glorious place in New Jerusalem.
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