A Mother's Love

If you've not seen this music video by Sara Evans and Brad Paisley, you need to watch it. It is a duet over video taken from the Mel Gibson movie "The Passion of the Christ".

I remember that as I watched the movie for the first time, that these scenes were the most touching to me. I'm not sure I had ever thought about the incredible pain and sorrow which Mary must have felt watching her son beaten and crucified.

Even though I am a father, I don't really believe that I can fully understand the depth of love that a mother has for her child. It is just not the same. God just did not wire us up that way.

We often talk about how great is God's love for us in that He sent His one and only Son to die for our sins that we might have forgiveness and eternal life with Him in Heaven, but just as Jesus was God's Son, He was also Mary's son. There is no question that it must have broken God's heart to see His Son rejected, beaten and crucified by the very people He'd been given to save, as He watched the sins of the world be placed upon His perfect, sinless Son. But, as Jesus was beaten and crucified, God knew that His death was not permanent, that the grave could not hold Him, that in three short days, Jesus would walk out of that tomb more alive then ever and would be restored to the full glory and honor that were His.

But what about Mary? As she had seen Jesus rejected in his ministry, as she watch him be arrested, beaten and crucified, as she went with the others to place his beaten, broken, lifeless body in the tomb, she must have be certain that it was the end, that her precious son was dead, gone, that she would never see him again - that it was over, finished. How her heart must have broken? There must not have been an once of comfort. She must have asked "God, how could you let this happen?"

If you are a mother, maybe you can imagine the pain she felt over those next few days. They must have been the longest, darkest days of her life. Imagine the sorrow and the tears. Imagine the questions. God had selected Mary above all other women to be the mother of Jesus, so we know she was a Godly woman, yet, in her sorrow and pain, she must have questioned God.

I do not think it was by happenstance or chance, but by God's great love and mercy, that Luke records that Mary was with the other women who were the first to arrive that glorious Sunday morning to find the tomb was empty - that her precious son, Jesus, was risen! And, in that moment, everything that had been so wrong was made so right - all the pain and sorrow was, in an instant, replaced by overflowing joy.

If you are a mother (or father) and your heart is broken today over your child, remember Mary and her broken heart. It may seem to you today that your child has turned their back on home and on God and that all hope is lost and the pain and sorrow are unbearable. Maybe it even seems to you that God is doing nothing, that He has not heard your prayers and your cries. Maybe you are questioning how God could have let this happen. It may seem that not only has God deserted your child, but that He has deserted you as well. But, the truth is this: God's heart is broken over your child! And, God is heartbroken by your pain and your tears. And, even though He may seem to your eyes to be doing nothing, God is working in ways which you cannot see, ways that you cannot understand and He will make right all that is now wrong, because that is His promise and God is faithful!

My precious mother must have prayed many prayers and shed many tears and her heart must have broken again and again as I wandered in that "far country" for 18 years. There must have been many times that she was tempted to give up hope, that she must have questioned if God was hearing her prayers and she must have wondered how God could have let her son go so far astray. And, yet, through it all, God was still working in my life, always protecting me, always calling me back to Himself, always working to bring me to my senses. I guess that I must be pretty stubborn, because it took a long time, but I finally did come to my senses and made my way home.

My mom just saw the beginning of my coming home, but there has not been, nor will there be, one time that I preach, that I do not think of my mom and the joy that must fill her heart as she looks down from Heaven at her son who has come home! Her son whom she will see again and for all eternity!

I love you, Mom!

Jimmie