Day 30 — “I Have Seen the Lord!”

“Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them what He had said to her.”

— John 20:18 (BSB)

After Jesus called Mary’s name, He gave her a job. He told her to go and tell His disciples that He was alive.

And Mary did. She ran to the disciples and announced, “I have seen the Lord!”

Mary Magdalene became the very first person to tell the news that Jesus had risen from the dead. The most important message in all of history, and Jesus trusted a woman to carry it first.

Think about everything Mary had been through. Before Jesus found her, she had been tormented and trapped. Then Jesus set her free. She followed Him and supported His work. She stood at His cross when others ran. She stayed at His tomb when others went home. And now she got to tell the world the best news ever.

Mary’s story is a picture of this whole book.

She faced her fear. She must have been terrified at the cross and confused at the tomb, but she stayed.

She used her voice. When Jesus told her to go, she went and told.

She served. She had supported Jesus with what she had.

She led. She carried the message to the disciples first.

And she followed Jesus, all the way.

That’s what it means to be brave. Not to never feel afraid, but to follow Jesus with your whole heart, and to tell others about Him.

Look back at everything you’ve learned in these 30 days. You learned to bring your worries to God and to trusted people. You learned to use your voice: to speak up, say no, ask for help and tell the truth in love. You met women who served with their hands and hearts. You learned to lead by going first, speaking wisely, standing firm, asking questions, serving and passing faith on. And you met the brave women who followed Jesus.

Now it’s your turn. You’ve seen the Lord in these pages. Go and tell!

A true story: Lilias Trotter was a young woman in England who could paint beautifully. One of the greatest art teachers in the country told her that if she gave herself to painting, she could become one of the greatest artists England had ever seen. But Lilias loved Jesus more than she loved fame. She laid down that bright future and sailed to Algeria, in North Africa, to tell people about Jesus. The work was slow and lonely, but she stayed for nearly forty years. And her gift wasn’t wasted: she painted beautiful little books that told the story of Jesus in ways the people could understand. She chose to be faithful instead of famous. You can read her whole story in Brave for God.

Think about it: What’s one brave thing you’ve learned in this book that you want to keep doing?

Try this: Be like Mary Magdalene. Tell someone today about something Jesus has done for you.

Dear Jesus, thank You for Mary Magdalene, who followed You all the way and told the world You are alive. Make me brave like her. Help me face my fears, use my voice, serve, lead and follow You with my whole heart. Help me tell others about You. In Your name, Amen.