Brave Women of the Bible, Mary Part 2

All parents go through a state of transition. We transition from caring and protecting our children to letting them go and grow into adults. But we remain their parents, still mom and dad. Mary’s story was a little different. She had to transition from caring and protecting Jesus to becoming a follower of Him. Letting go of her parental instincts on how to protect Him. She watched and followed him all the way to the foot of the cross.

Mary’s transition wasn’t easy. As per Jewish custom when Joseph died Jesus, being the first born was to care for her. In John Chapter 2 we see the account of Jesus’s first miracle at a wedding feast turning water into wine. Mary is present at the feast, probably sitting next to Jesus and his disciples who are also invited. When she over hears that the wine is all gone she says to Jesus, “They have no more wine,” (verse 3) Jesus says to her “(Dear) woman what is that to you and me? My time (to act and to be revealed) has not yet come.” (verse 4 AMP) When Jesus calls Mary “woman” the actual Hebrew translation was a term of endearment an older child would call their mother and not as insulting as it sounds in the English language.  However, Mary realizes she must submit to her son as she tells the servants in verse 5, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Transition is hard and scary. Change is not something we are comfortable with. Right now we are living in a frightening, changing world. Our daily lives have changed, for some of us our health has changed, our state of employment has changed, hopefully temporarily.  and ultimately it was God’s will that these changes are taking place. Many of us must learn to submit to God through this change because right now we have no other choice.

Mary had to learn to submit to her son. I agree with Marlo Schalesky in her book Wrestling with Wonder that Mary chose to go from parent of Jesus to follower of Jesus in Mark chapter 3. In verse 32 Jesus has been preaching at the synagogue and his mother and brother’s come to have a “word” with Him.” Marlo suggests that Mary and her brother’s were there to “talk some sense into Jesus,” Mary was probably fearful of the boldness and claims Jesus was making against the Pharisees. Jesus’s reply was (verse 33) “Who are My mother and My brothers?”

This had to be painful for Mary to hear. But I believe at this point Mary realized she had a choice to make. She could no longer protect him, it was time to follow Him. Mary made the brave choice to bear witness to her son’s life, death and resurrection.

We know that Mary was present during the crucifixion of Jesus due to John’s account. In John 19 verse 25-28 accounts Mary standing by the cross with John. Jesus sees them and per Jewish law he is able to give the care of his mother over to someone instead of his family if he wills it. He lovingly gives John care of her. Jesus loved his mom so much he took care of her even in his death. My friends how much he loves us and will take care of us just as much. Mary bore the hardest thing imaginable she watched her son be crucified. In doing so we are allowed to see a glimpse of how vast and deep Jesus’s love truly is.

Do you feel like you are in a state of transition? I do. Part of me is waiting for things to go back to normal and the other is preparing for the idea that normal is no longer. Transitions leave us in places were we have to make a choice. What choice is God presenting you with? Can I pray with you on that today? If you have a prayer request please leave it in the comments. I’d love to pray for you.

I