The Importance of the cross-Part VII

MARY – LOSS/GRIEF

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25 NIV).

It is very easy to go through the story of the crucifixion in the Scriptures and bypass this verse with nothing more than a quick glance, but I believe we do it injustice. We get wrapped up in Jesus’ pain, the centurion’s confession, Peter’s denial, and God’s love and forget about Mary, Jesus’ mother, and the burden of this loss that she bore. We see that all of Jesus’ disciples, except one (John) deserted him. Even though this is the case, one of the women who stood by his side and at the foot of the cross as he was dying was his mother, Mary.

I am sure there were many tears that streamed down her face as she watched her son die in such a painful way. I cannot imagine the heavy heart she bore and the grief she carried as he screamed out in pain on the cross. I am sure she just wanted to run up to him and take him off that sinister piece of wood, or change spots if she could. Was she screaming in terror at what she was seeing? Was she speechless with disbelief that this was really happening? Was she hollering at those who passed by that hurled insults and ridiculed her son?

There is the possibility that her thoughts were of wonderment as to why God chose her to bear this grief. She was an ordinary woman who loved the Lord. She did not deserve this plight in her life. If one looks in the English dictionary for the word for a person who loses a child, he will find that it does not exist. The loss of a child is unnatural and is not “supposed” to happen. If one loses his parents, he is considered an orphan; if one loses a spouse, he or she is a widow or widower; but there is no actual word for a father or mother who mourns the death of a child. I am sure this grief was more than Mary could bear. Jesus calls us to cast our anxiety on him (1 Peter 5:7) and to take hold of his yoke because it is easy and his burden because it is light (Matthew 11:30).

Have you experienced the death of a loved one that has caused you grief and pain? Have you experienced hardships due to life circumstances or shouldered burdens that you could not bear? Jesus wants your pain and agony. He hung on a cross so you and I could have freedom from the chains of grief that hold us down. The joy of the Lord is our strength!

TRADING MY SORROWS
I’m trading my sorrow. I’m trading my shame. I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord! I’m trading my sickness. I’m trading my pain. I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord! I’m pressed, but not crushed. Persecuted, not abandoned. Struck down, but not destroyed. I’m blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure and his joy’s going to be my strength! Though the sorrow may last for the night; his joy comes with the morning (paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 4).