John 19:26-27 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Father thank you for giving your son to die on the cross for us today. May we live a life pleasing to you. May we walk in purpose and journey with you in mind. May we please you with our response action and deeds. May your love that action word, come to life in us. In Jesus name. Amen
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Comfort
To have a parent present when you are sick or not well. My two are sixteen and twelve respectively. Most recently we, in the Taylor household, had an urgent care visit, that turned into a hospital stay, that evolved into an ambulance ride back to the hospital when we were released from the hospital. And I can remember at one point simply leaning my head against my sons and him patting me on the back as I cried. I can remember him being in so much pain at one point during this that we were simply standing up holding each other in the bathroom, and me telling him to lean on me. My arms wrapped around him holding him up because he was in so much pain, tired of being in pain and needing to cry. Why do I share this with me you, you may ask?
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
I share this with you because of this bible text. Not this one that I was chosen to speak on. However, when Mary was pregnant with Jesus without laying with a man. The ridicule, shame and tribulation she went through, without having done anything wrong. The pain, and yet the comfort she received from the Father. Who now in this text is providing comfort yet again. The only way a true loving parent can, wholeheartedly.
You see even during tribulation, God is there. Our parent, Mary in this text, is there. Kimberly in the hospital and bathroom, was and is there. How about Jesus and Mary are there for each other. Comforting each other. Helping each other get through this moment. Mary by her mere presence with her son. Jesus, making provision for His mother’s care. Like the loving parent our Father is and does.
So, let us receive the comfort of Him being always there. Especially amid the storm. Amen. Especially amid the storm.
Provision
Here is this passage of text even amid His own death Jesus makes provision for Mary. He makes provision for her care and protection. Introducing her to her son, the disciple who would take her to his home.
Provision: The act or state of being prepared beforehand.
Jesus shared His death and resurrection before with Mary. Right? This wasn’t the first time of her hearing it. Maybe seeing, yes. However, not her first foray into knowing that it was to come. Is that not like God, to give a glimpse of where He is leading and directing us. So, like Him.
However, willingness, obedience and hearing are key elements too. He makes provision for the journey. He does. He gives us ample time to prepare.
All along, that was the problem. Making decisions and leaning into our own strength instead of putting our faith, hope and belief in Him and leaning into His.
So, even in this life journey, He makes provision He makes provision to prepare us throughout the journey.
Mary knew of Jesus’s impending death before this day. She experienced it and even during that hour, He made provision for her to be taken care of.
May I offer during this moment Jesus is the parent and Mary is the child. God is the parent, and we are His children.
He takes care of us saints. He takes care of us amid this life experience journey. Incrementally as He grows up chipping away at our humanity that shies away from the calling on our lives.
It may be pride He chips away as we go back to apologize for aught against another.
That control demon that has ruled on the throne for oh so long.
For another it is the walk of faith to start that business, author that book, or embrace the technology changes that are taking place in the workplace amid a pandemic.
For another, although I am 50 years of age I pout and regress down the age ladder scale when I do not get my way.
It may that comparison demon that I allow to take control of my mind and so I shy away from new opportunities that come my way, because I do not believe I can present or perform like the one that went before me.
Yet, still for another it is all something different. Fear, worry, doubt, the list is endless when we reside in the enemies’ camp and allow him to whisper his devilish sweet nothings.
However, He prepares us. If we can just slow down and see Him working in the big stuff for sure. However, do we know that He also specializes in the simple and mundane everyday life existence as well. He is in it All.
Amidst the pain and infliction, He is preparing us for our next. Because if we reside on this side of the Jordan experience, there will always be a next when you are walking a life with Christ, Amen. Always a next as He elevates us in purpose. Always a next.
God’s LOVE – an action word
Lastly, the love of the Father. His love an action word. The promise to not leave us or forsake us. To abide in Him and He in us. It was with love that Jesus could think of his mother amid his own pain and sorrow. An action word.
God calls for us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. He calls for us to heap coal upon the heads to confuse the enemy. How about being in relationship with God and fellowship with his children, one with another makes extending love so much easier. Love an action word.
Extending love, surrounded by so much hate, extending love, kindness, gentleness, and concern amongst such evil. Being able to think of another when you yourself are going through. Not easy by any means saints. Not easy by any means. And yet, the teacher Jesus, here in this text, did it again as Brittany Spears says. How He dug deep amid His own death and showed His love (an action word) for His mother. It is because of that relationship. The love, He has for her comfort and provision is the foundation by which he makes sure her care, present and future are handled. That’s’ what God does for us saints. As we are going through, is it His love. The trials are an act of His love because He is preparing us to deal with the next, and the next on the journey to purpose. This is one of the reasons in James 1:2-4, He tells us to count it all joy. There is a work that is being done as He builds up our Christlike character.
Do we know that it is because of the relationship that our Father has for us, that it is so easy for Him to forgive. It is because of His relationship in creating us that His love surrounds our every walk and talk and action of being. His love. His action of love. His action of love is why we go through. It is not to harm us. His love is to take us to the promise for which He uniquely crafted, created and designed each one of us. Jesus had his in the death for our sins and the resurrected life He now lives. We are not exempt saints. The promised land. Who she gets to be on the other side of that trial. The daughter beloved that he has created. The destiny He designed, there is nothing, not a thing, in this earthly realm that can compare. No title, no job, can glorify and magnify the Father like living in purpose.
So, we close with the love of God (that action word) constantly extending to us grace and mercy as He provides comfort and makes provision with love as the trials and tribulations, give us wisdom, strength, and an opportunity to grow into the purpose for which He uniquely designed, and crafted and created each of us. Amen. As we go through our own fleshly trials, we dig deep and still extend the love of Jesus.
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Father, we thank you for yet another opportunity to grow in grace and speak on your holy writ as we extend your love one to another. Amen.
UniquelyDesigned1 