All of us have a right to leave our mark (leave a legacy) and make a difference in the spiritual world. Also, we all have a right to be treated as adults and not children once we've come of age and though we may still be innocent in regards to the evil we can still be mature in godly matters. The focus of Jesus' life was the relinquishment of "They will be done!" There are many seasons of life that we all pass through and they all have their right of passage. In Jewish culture, the bar mitzvah was the age of maturity for a young man.
We notice that especially in Mary, the mother of Jesus, that she had to adjust to the Lord growing up and realizing His mission in life to please the Father and to accomplish His will, not His own. A mother's role is complex and she has to realize when she is mothering too much when it is not welcome and not respecting a son's independence or manhood and even robbing it and smothering him in affection or caretaking. There comes a time when all men ought to leave their mothers and cling to their wives as to another form of care and affection. But we still "honor" them according to the commandment despite being emancipated.
She started out in her path with the Lord just being her handmaiden but then became blessed among women by being selected to bear the Savior in her womb, so she became a mother and had to realize many responsibilities, that were above what the average would be. At the marriage of Cana, she realized she had no more authority over the Lord. There comes a time when a mother must recognize her child is all grown up and has a right to make his own decisions and to be responsible for them.
When Mary and Joseph lost track of Jesus as the temple in Jerusalem (where was her faith?), it wasn't negligence even though she thought she had let God down, but it was Jesus purposely assuming His mission "to be about His Father's business." Jesus doubtless had done this on purpose. She might have doubted her ability as a mother and was probably thinking she had failed God or erred from His will feeling guilty. We too can doubt our mission in life or not even realize it, and then conclude we have failed God. However, Jesus never doubted His divine mission first as Savior. But it's never too late to get on track with God and back with the program. Mary would learn the lesson and might have needed to apply it to herself, that one must seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and follow God as Job One.
Yes, there would come a time when she would "treasure these things in her heart," and she did ponder them meaning she didn't fully comprehend them but they would be food for thought and reason to meditate. She would have to acknowledge His authority and to listen to His teachings. Mary had been thankful and praised God for being chosen but there came a time when she was just addressed as "woman" by Jesus and she had to realize that she couldn't order Him around anymore that there comes a time when a child is no longer under the parents' tutelage, aegis, or authority. At the marriage feast at Cana Jesus told His mother: "What has this concern of ours to do with Me, woman..." (cf. John 2:4). Jesus had to mention that His mother would be anyone who did God's will--a spiritual family. Mary would be subject to Jesus now!
There would come a time when she would become His disciple and follow and contribute to His ministry, even carrying for His personal needs as He sojourned and preached. She stuck by Him all the way to the cross and probably mourned like any mother and thought it all had been for naught and that her mission had failed too. She didn't understand again but must have known by faith that God would work it all out and that there comes a time to trust and obey God even beyond our understanding--you don't have to understand to obey. We too may have to realize a mission we don't comprehend and go by faith and not by our understanding. We all must learn to walk by faith and not by sight. She became a mourner for the Lord.
We all have a unique place in God's scheme of things and it all starts with a decision to follow Christ. Even Mary had to do this and to become a follower. Just like her, we are all called to a unique opportunity and place in God's kingdom. It all goes to show also that you don't have to understand God's will and probably won't but you can still accomplish it by faith. Soli Deo Gloria!
No comments:
Post a Comment