On the day of Jesus’ death there were no angels in sight. There were no signs given by heavenly beings matching Gabriel’s words to Mary; there was only the nauseating, faith-snatching scene of the Son of God nailed upon a cross. It was a day like no other, and Mary of Nazareth probably thought that it would never end.
We are afforded the ability to see this scene through eyes that know the rest of the story, but at that moment, Mary N. did not have this vision. I applaud her faithfulness to stand by her son until His final breath. But I don’t want us to miss out on the continued faithfulness and tenderness of our God to Mary during the darkest hour of her life.
The apostle John journals a very sweet moment, a final moment, between mother and son as Jesus hung upon the cross. John writes: “When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19: 26-27)
Mary was not left alone and abandoned at the cross that day. Jesus made provisions for her welfare. By doing so He had placed her with His intimate group of disciples. Don’t miss this rich blessing. It was essential for Mary N. to continue to gather with the disciples….(A Mary Like Me).
Jesus is making provisions for us even as I write. What may appear to be a temporary “fix” may actually be a step to something much greater. It was for Mary N.
Tune in tomorrow for the rest of this story.
Grace and peace,
andy
