Godly Gals ~ Sheryl Lehman ~ Mary, Mother of Jesus
by Sheryl Anne Lehman
On Good Friday, one of my best friends relives the events that led to her husband’s death. This is the day he went to the hospital with a headache and blurred speech. It is an especially hard time to remember his death when we, as Christians, are joyfully celebrating the resurrection of our Savior.
I think of Jesus’ mother, Mary. She must have felt the pain of watching her son die on the cross at the same time thinking of the terrible ridicule she would face from others in her community. Mary knew how she had become pregnant with Him. It was God who put the Baby within her, that same Baby who would grow up to be Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Mary didn’t cry out to people to say “Hey, everyone! Look, don’t you know that this is The Messiah? He is the One that we have been waiting for!”
Or . . . Did she?
The Bible never records her rebuttal at His being taken. It does say she would hold all these things in her heart. She was a chosen woman who would give birth to the son of God. Did she ever have doubts?
Did Mary ever think that maybe she remembered it wrong? When Jesus left to do His ministry, did she think this was the plan all along? Is it conceivable that the Angels of God kept her at peace, in her heart, during His Life on earth?
I wonder, after His resurrection, if she ever relived seeing her son die? Did she imagine the Blood of Jesus pour from His wounds as He hung?
Mary watched, Mary remembered, Mary held all these things in her heart.
We are confident that other Christians who die go to be with Jesus. I know the resurrection promise is for real. As we relive the parting of a loved one, we recognize that we are not alone.
Jesus Christ loves us so much. He knows the loss we feel. I think that is one reason he made an effort to tell his disciple John to be a son to Mary. They both needed each other.
John 19 puts it this way; 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother . . . 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
In the same way, we need others to grieve with, to rejoice with, and to share the reliving with. This is a blessing my grieving friend has thanked God for many times.
Are you reliving something in your life?
Here’s a rhetorical thought; Did Mary have a support group and would I have been there for her?
