Love Seen from the Margins – Love in the Wilderness
A quiet devotion from Mark 15:33-41 on love overcoming distance
Here is a devotion to start your day!
A spoken version of this devotion is available through the Still, Here audio reflections podcast.
Scripture: Mark 15:33–41; Luke 23:44–49
There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; who, when he was in Galilee, followed him and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. Mk 15:40-41
Reflection
As darkness covers the land and Jesus hangs on the cross, many have fled. But some remain. Mark tells us of women watching from a distance—Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and Salome—who had followed and served Him in Galilee. They are not at the center of power; they are at the edges of tragedy, eyes fixed on the One they love.
Nearby stands a Roman centurion, a man used to executions. He has likely seen many die. Yet something about this death is different—the darkness, the cry, the composure, the love. When Jesus breathes His last, the centurion says, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”
From the margins of gender and empire, the truth about Jesus is seen and spoken. The women, often overlooked, are faithful witnesses. The centurion, part of the occupying force, becomes an unlikely confessor. Love in the wilderness is recognized not only by insiders, but by those watching from unexpected places.
You may feel distant, powerless, or on the edges of what God seems to be doing. Yet your watching, your clinging love, your whispered “Truly” matters. The cross is not only for those in the inner circle; it is for all who gaze and believe.
A Prayer of Presence
Crucified Son of God,
I stand with the women and the centurion, watching from the margins. Open my eyes to see Your love even in the darkest places and give me courage to say, “Truly, You are the One.” – Amen
Practice for Today
Take a few moments to “stand” at the cross in your imagination. Place yourself either with the women or the centurion. What do you see, hear, or feel? Let any simple response—tears, words, silence—be your act of worship.
Consider This...
Where do I feel on the margins—in faith, community, or life—and how might that vantage point help me see Jesus more clearly?
Carry This Prayer With You
Breathe in: I behold Your love…
Breathe out: … at the cross
This work is freely shared. If it nourishes your life with God, you’re welcome to help sustain it.