Walking With Christ

The angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to the single most important child to ever be born in all of human history. Nothing could prepare her for what that would actually mean. Even being told that it would happen and who the child would be was little more than words, even coming from an angel. Being told that something is going to happen is completely different than experiencing it first hand.

We know who told her that her child would be the savior of the world, but the bible is silent as to who had to tell her that her beloved son had been arrested. Who was it that had to see the pain in her eyes as she processed that information? Who was it that had to listen to her heart break, in a way that only a mother’s heart could, as she slowly understood the words she had just heard?

Mary knew the dangers her son faced in His ministry. She had heard His words and knew how the Pharisees would react. She knew that there was really only one possible outcome if He refused to raise the army that so many believed He would build to overthrow the oppressive Roman rule. She also knew that He had made absolutely no moves to actually begin to raise any kind of army. It was almost like He saw the Roman rule as justified and correct. In fact, nothing in any part of His ministry could accurately be described as a statement against the rule of Rome. Few of the things He said had any political nuance outside of the Jewish community. No, she knew that Rome was not directly His enemy. The challenge was to the religious and political leaders of the Jewish culture, and that often had deadly consequences.

Yes, she knew that there was only one likely outcome. Knowing that something is going to happen does little to actually help when the moment finally comes. Who held her up as the hope of a different outcome was drained from her? Nobody wants to be that kind of messenger. Nobody wants to deliver life changing, soul crushing, heart wrenching news like that. It’s a different kind of cry for a different kind of pain. It comes from the deepest parts of the soul.

My brain woke up and chose violence this morning because this was the question on my heart when I got up. The kind of pain that Mary had to feel in that moment is the kind of pain that cancels every other part of your existence for a bit. The air gets sucked out of whatever room you’re in and it’s a physically painful struggle to breathe for a while. If you’ve felt this kind of pain or been the messenger to someone who felt this kind of pain then this prayer is for you.

Father,
We know that You lift up the lowly in spirit. We know that You give comfort to the weak. We know that You feel and understand every heartache and count every tear. We know this because You, in Your infinite wisdom and mercy, gave us Your only son so that we could have an opportunity to be made clean enough to be in Your holy presence. That You would willingly suffer this kind of anguish and pain for any reason is enough to amaze any believer, but that You would do so for us, for me, is beyond our understanding. The dedication to love and commitment to Your creation is beyond explanation. That Jesus would willingly come to the earth, live as any human might, take an unjust death sentence, only to be resurrected three days later as proof of His true divinity, all to simply offer true and complete forgiveness through the acceptance of this blood sacrifice for anybody who decides to believe and follow Him, is a concept that is so foreign to everything human. He knew this. You still offered Your son as a willing sacrifice because You knew that there could not be any other way.
We lift up those who are struggling with the pain and confusion of loss. We lift up those who have been brought low by the life altering changes that this kind of pain represents. We thank You for Your mercy and grace that shows us that the story isn’t over until You say it is.


1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.(ESV)

If Mary had known that Jesus would rise again three days later, it wouldn’t have changed much. She still would have wept. That’s ok. Jesus wept when Lazarus died even with the knowledge that Lazarus would be dining with them that very evening. Jesus wept in the moment then rejoiced when Lazarus was returned to them. How much more would Mary have rejoiced when her son was returned to her? Our Father weeps with us just as Jesus wept with Mary and Martha. Our Father weeps for every one of us that is lost, hurting, broken, alone, sick, suffering, and, frankly, any other human condition that is less than our best that He has planned for us. He will rejoice over every single one of us that believes and returns home to Him clean.

Perhaps, we can all find comfort in knowing that our Father is always with us, sharing in our pain and offering His endless love and mercy. Just as Mary faced the unimaginable with faith, we should also lean on our faith in times of suffering and loss. We have to constantly remember that our story isn’t over until He says it is. Put your trust in His plan and His timing because He will bring light to our darkest moments and give us the strength to endure. Hold onto the promise that, just as Lazarus was returned to Mary and Martha, and Jesus was returned to Mary (and the rest of the world), we too will find joy and restoration through our faith in Him. We weeps with us in our sorrow and rejoices with us in our victories. Lean on Him, for He is our refuge and strength.