A devoted life in response to a dramatic deliverance.

From desperation to deliverance to devotion...

Many days find me staring into the sunset as I drive home
on Highway 49. As the sun sets on my day
it is prime opportunity to determine whether I truly
walked in the light that day. It's also a good reminder to
to gratefully recall that one day we won't even need the sun
to be our light. 

Luke 8:1–3
[1] Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, [2] and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, [3] and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. (ESV)

Do you see it? "Mary called Magdalene" HAD been possessed of SEVEN DEMONS -- count them: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 DEMONS! That is a legitimate desperate situation! However, what is seven demons to the Christ who casts out legions of demons and make the entirety of fallen angels tremble? Seven was a desperate situation for Mary was but a word of divine authority and power from Jesus.

Jesus moves her from desperate to delivered. The whole of the story is told in these short words: "...had gone out..." It's past tense; Mary has been delivered from her desperate state by divine power! Lord Jesus, I praise You! Hallelujah! I rejoice in Mary's deliverance!

How does Mary respond? She responds the only sensible way a delivered person could. She responded with devotion. The passage tells us "Mary called Magdalene ... provided for [Jesus and the twelve] out of their means." Let me emphasize that: "...out of THEIR means."

A desperate life granted deliverance by divine power and love leads to a life of devotion toward the Deliverer.

I don't know about you, but Jesus found me in a desperate situation too. He graciously gave me deliverance. I desire to be a living sacrifice, devoted to Him for all my days.