Woman Behold thy Son.

There is something about a mom. For me my mom has been an honest sounding board, a shoulder to cry on and my number one fan. She took care of me before she could hold me in her arms.  She doctored my cuts and bruises growing up. In my teens and early 20’s I am sure she prayed for a manual or a return policy! There were days I thought she was a nosey nag, an old fashioned Sandra Dee and she did not understand me at all. But, regardless of how we have felt for each other on any given day I could not give her away. Our families belong to us; good or bad. Here in John chapter 19 verse 26 and 27 Jesus is transforming Mary’s maternal relationship.

Suffering His last hours nailed to a cross Jesus could not bear the thought of His mother being left widowed and alone. This was the woman who had such strong faith she carried God’s child and cared from Him until His time came to do the Father’s will. In Jesus’ words to Mary, His mother and John, the disciple He loved; the two were set apart and offered to each other. Behold your son. Before today he was simply a disciple, see him differently now. Behold your mother. Before today she was my mother but now you are to honor her in my name as if she was your own. They were joined together, a new family.   At the foot of the cross the Savior was extending the family as we understand it from mere physical mother and son to a spiritual relationship. 

But there was something else happening in that very same moment. Something Mary, John, nor even we could see. But Jesus saw it. He knew with those very words he also spoke healing into another woman’s heart and transformed her shattered motherhood.

Five years ago in the seventh pew on the left at an Ash Wednesday Service I walked the Via Dolorosa with my Savior. Every last thing I had done and left undone; all I had said and left unsaid I saw nailed to that tree. How could this man freely endure my penalty? How could I watch the pain my life had lead Him to bear? Deep into every pore of my rigid heart I felt the pain and anguish He suffered because of me. He endured all those years of my repeated disappointing choices. Every drop of blood on His body, each bead of sweat on His brow represented a point on the map of my sinful past. Yet as they rolled down His beaten face and puddled on the dusty ground my past was wiped clean, erased.

At the cross all those generations ago and a few years ago within these walls Jesus transformed my aborted motherhood. Thinking of the daughter He adored with abundant and unworthy forgiveness He suffered my sins to reconcile the brokenness in my life.  My failed maternal relationship was recognized, presented to my heart and the difficult healing process took its first baby steps.  Woman, behold your son. I had to become acquainted with the life He created and I ended in my womb. Son, behold your mother.  I had a son who will honor me one day in heaven, as his mother. We were joined together, a new family.   On the cross my Savior was extending the family from a mere physical mother and son to a spiritual healed and whole relationship.  What I had fractured into a million pieces with my selfish decision Jesus gathered up in His nail pierced hands and fashioned mercy, grace  and forgiveness from soot and ashes.

I tell you tonight Jesus longs to do that very same thing for you. He cries out on the cross for you to behold your sin in the light of His love and sacrifice. He longs to wash you of all the dirt and grime sin leaves behind and make your face radiant with His light. It does not matter what you have done or how unloved you think you are today. He desires to lift your head and speak, Behold my child your new family. So what now? Do we attempt to pick back up all the wounds and pain, thumbing our nose at His gift? Do we insist we have control of our lives? Do we think we can do a better job? Do we refuse to see the pain our sin has produced on the cross? How do we begin to say thank you?

I was able to share this message God gave me on the recent Good Friday Service. We had a very moving service where seven of us shared our thoughts on the seven final phrases uttered by Jesus on the cross. I continue to be amazed at how He uses the missteps I have made to sing of the glory He can bring to others lives. I hope this simply begins my Thank you not to Him.