May 10: Celebrating His Victory
HIS TENDERNESS.
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"--John 19:26
Visiting the ancient city of Ephesus was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I was absolutely baffled when we got to the ancient city and saw the magnificent remains of so many buildings, the library, and the huge amphitheater. We also visited the traditional site of Mary's house, a few miles away. At first, I was confused, because we were in Turkey, and the mother of Jesus lived in Israel. That's when I remembered that Jesus entrusted His mother to John, the beloved disciple, who eventually became an elder in the church of Ephesus.
John records three last sayings of Jesus on the cross that are not recorded by the other Gospel writers. The first one is addressed to His mother and the beloved disciple. It is amazing to me that in the midst of His physical and even greater spiritual distress, Jesus thinks of His mother. She had been visited by the angel Gabriel, and when she became pregnant out of wedlock, she endured much ridicule. She had witnessed how the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus and had felt much pain because of it. She had kept in her heart the prophecies about Him, and now she was standing by the cross of her beloved Son. And Jesus honors His earthly mother by making sure that she is taken care of. Amazing! May we treat our own mothers with such care and tenderness. Perhaps because the brothers of Jesus had not yet believed that He was the Savior (see John 7:5), Jesus felt the need to entrust His mother to the beloved disciple: "When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!' From that hour the disciple took her into his own household" ( John 19:26, 27). The concern of Jesus for His mother, who had been divinely chosen to bring Him into this world, is another reminder of His gentle heart, which experienced love in addition to pain and always showed tender care. At the cross, the tenderness of Jesus was offered to each one of us as well. His victorious love is our assurance.
My Response:_________________________________________________________
HIS TENDERNESS.
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"--John 19:26
Visiting the ancient city of Ephesus was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I was absolutely baffled when we got to the ancient city and saw the magnificent remains of so many buildings, the library, and the huge amphitheater. We also visited the traditional site of Mary's house, a few miles away. At first, I was confused, because we were in Turkey, and the mother of Jesus lived in Israel. That's when I remembered that Jesus entrusted His mother to John, the beloved disciple, who eventually became an elder in the church of Ephesus.
John records three last sayings of Jesus on the cross that are not recorded by the other Gospel writers. The first one is addressed to His mother and the beloved disciple. It is amazing to me that in the midst of His physical and even greater spiritual distress, Jesus thinks of His mother. She had been visited by the angel Gabriel, and when she became pregnant out of wedlock, she endured much ridicule. She had witnessed how the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus and had felt much pain because of it. She had kept in her heart the prophecies about Him, and now she was standing by the cross of her beloved Son. And Jesus honors His earthly mother by making sure that she is taken care of. Amazing! May we treat our own mothers with such care and tenderness. Perhaps because the brothers of Jesus had not yet believed that He was the Savior (see John 7:5), Jesus felt the need to entrust His mother to the beloved disciple: "When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!' From that hour the disciple took her into his own household" ( John 19:26, 27). The concern of Jesus for His mother, who had been divinely chosen to bring Him into this world, is another reminder of His gentle heart, which experienced love in addition to pain and always showed tender care. At the cross, the tenderness of Jesus was offered to each one of us as well. His victorious love is our assurance.
My Response:_________________________________________________________
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