The Heart Of A Mother

John 19:25
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother................

What must it have been like to watch your son die. The son you gave birth to. The son you carried in your womb for nine months. Seeing him not just hanging from a cross, but nailed to it for all the world to see. Oh, you remembered the words of the angel Gabriel when he came to you years ago. Those words had brought you comfort and peace during times of great struggle and pain. But on this day the pain seemed greater than ever, and there seemed to be no way that you would ever be able to move beyond it.

You prayed that it could be you hanging there instead of your son. Those around you tried to get you to leave. "You don't need to be here....You don't need to view this." But this was your own son."Yes I do.I will not leave my son." In your heart of hearts you knew this was God in flesh. You knew that. You fully understood the miracle that had taken place in your own body years ago when the Holy Spirit had come upon you with such power. In that instant, all the laws of nature and genetics were suspended and God invaded your time and space. You knew this. But you also knew that you and Jesus were connected in a way that no one ever could or ever would understand. 
You gave birth to Messiah....the Christ, but no matter what title may be attached to him, he would always be your son.

You had raised him to not be selfish.
Here on this day, He was carrying out the ultimate act of unselfishness.
He was giving his own life and blood as payment for the sin of the world. Sin that was birthed in the past...sin that was active and alive in the present...and sin yet to be birthed. Your son took it all upon himself and became the perfect lamb to be sacrificed as payment so that the debt would be cancelled.

You remembered the times you washed him and dressed him, singing his favorite songs. He loved music and the way it lifted the heart during dark times. He loved to sing songs to God, his father. You taught him this. But on this day, there were no songs. In three days there would be the ultimate victory song of resurrection. But that was 72 hours away, and 72 hours were an eternity.

You watched over him while he slept. Your prayers covered him. Yes, he was the Son of God.....but he was your son, and you were his mother.

In an age where people are measured by their accomplishments, Mary would simply pass as a nice woman who never achieved much with her life. How wrong could we ever be if we hold to that assumption. Today is a day to celebrate the one who gave us life. Our mothers. Mary was given one task to fulfill. Allow herself to be the one who birthed the Son of God. OF all the women in the world, God looked down on her as being the only one who could give him something he did not possess. A human body. 

She gave her very life to raise her son. Nothing else was more important. She saw his first steps. Heard his first words. Nursed him. Bandaged his cuts and dried his tears. Why? Because he may have been the Son of God....but he was her son also.  She kissed his face and laughed with him, and how he loved to laugh. She was his mother. You see, to me, that is the funny part in all of this. You can call Mary whatever you want. You can regal her and lift her to the heights.....but she was and always will be what some assume is the simplest of tasks. A mother. 

Peter, a lowly fisherman, went on to become a mighty man of God, eventually crucified on a cross also.

Paul wrote most of the New Testament and planted churches every where he went.

John, exiled to the isle of Patmos, was transported into the very throne room of heaven where he was shown wonders and visions of what was to take place.

James, the half brother of Jesus, was to become the father of the church in Jerusalem.

And the list goes on and on of the great people who gave their lives for the gospel of Jesus.

But Mary! That young virgin whose life was being mapped out through the engagement to Joseph. She gave up her life and body to become the vessel through which Messiah would come. And with those incredible words she spoke upon learning of her being chose by God, forever placed her name among the heroes of the faith. "Behold the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word."

Happy Mother's Day...
Vicki...
Betty....
Mom.....

I honor you on this day for the sacrifices that you have made and the lives you have lived out in front of us all.

God on you....
mb