Both my boys Matt Wilson & David Wilson turn 30 & 33 this year. That is the age Jesus was during His ministry. As we approach this Passover/Resurrection season, Im reminded of the story I was lead to write last year called Marys Perspective. I hope you dont mind if I share it with you again. Mary’s Perspective: by Pamper Cochran January 19, 2013 at 1:31pm I recently began looking at Jesus’ life from a different perspective than I had ever considered. Mary was a young woman, probably a teenager. She was pregnant and unmarried. In her days she actually should’ve been put to death for this, however, she was forced to endure the ridicule from her family and friends. Mary knew the truth, but how many people do you think would believe such an outstanding tale? She went to a strange land with a man who wasn’t her baby’s daddy. She lay down and gave birth to a son. I can’t even imagine the agony of her labor pains on that night without cringing. Mary actually nursed and nurtured the Son of God. She named him Jesus (Yeshua). Jesus was a regular toddler. She changed his diapers and probably swatted his hands for getting into stuff. As he grew into childhood, she watched him play with his toys and develop social skills by playing with other children. She bathed him, clothed him, fed him, and said his prayers with him as she tucked him in to bed at night. When he was 12, he ran off in a large city full of people and Mary couldn’t find him. Can you even begin to imagine the worry and fear that she must have felt? All the times that they had sat together and listened to and read Gods word must have made her long to find her boy even more. Then she finally found him speaking in the church. Speaking to grown men, nonetheless. I bet she wanted to tan his tail for scaring her so badly. But Jesus simply said you should’ve known where I’d be. Where else would I have been except here doing my Fathers work? With much relief after finding him, Mary probably began to plan Jesus’ Bat Mitzvah (Jewish coming of age rituals). Could you imagine planning Jesus’ birthday parties? Who would be there? His cousin John, Lazarus, Martha and Mary some other kids from his village. Then he goes through those teenage years. He’s becoming quiet the young man. He probably went fishing with his buddies. They most likely played a lot of ball. I wonder what it was like when Jesus liked his first girl. For the sake of this story let’s go with this idea. What could you imagine some young girl that Jesus liked would be? She would definitely love God & they would sit and talk for hours. She might even go fishing with him and Joseph. Then his daddy died. Mary and Jesus had to endure the loss of their earthly caregiver, the man that raised him. My point in this is to say Jesus was a normal kid, with pain and hurts of other kids. Jesus grew to manhood and he met his cousin John down at the river one day. John may not have known before, when they were kids, but he knew this day. John knew the exact time that Jesus’ Heavenly Father called Him into His ministry. I can imagine the wonderment in Mary’s eyes as she saw her son be baptized. While she watched in awe as the heavens spoke over her baby boy, what joy she must have felt. I can imagine too, the despair that must have come over her as she waited 40 days for Jesus’ return from the desert of testing. She must have prayed for His safety and comfort continually while He was gone. Then she sees Him walking back towards her and her prayers have been answered. Over the course of the next three years, Mary followed and kept a watchful eye on the happenings in Jesus’ life. She watched as He turned the water into wine, healed the sick, caused the lame to walk again, and even brought the dead back to life. That was her boy. She had to have been awestruck with every miracle that she watched Him do. She had to have been thanking and praising God every time she watched another person come to know Him. Her love for her son could’ve been second only to her love for His Father. I can hear Mary’s prayer’s in my mind, Oh Thank You, Thank You for our Son, God. Thank You that I was chosen to bear this great and wonderful gift for You. Thank You that Jesus is doing Your Will God. Thank You Thank You! As Jesus’ time of ministry came to a close, I began to think of how Mary must have felt then. He was 33 years old and doing amazing, miraculous things, but people (important people) didn’t like Him. They mocked Him. They challenged Him. They spoke untrue things about her son. She probably begged Jesus to not be so outspoken. She watched and listened as they plotted against Him. She heard the rumors and knew in her heart that they would kill Him if they ever got the chance. I can hear these prayers in my mind as well, Oh God, Please, Please, Please, don’t let these people kill my boy. Please make them understand who He really is. Make them see Him as You Son my God. Please don’t let them take Him. As she sat around the table with Jesus and all His closest friends, she listened as He told them about what was going to happen. She must have felt such deep pain to hear how she was supposed to remember her son after He was gone. But nothing could’ve ever truly prepared her for what was yet to come. And come it did. Mary watched as Jesus was spit upon and beaten. She saw the skin be ripped from her babies beautiful olive colored body. She stood in torment watching Him bleed. She could do nothing as they pressed a thorny crown onto his brows. I can feel her heart racing as the knot in her stomach grew and moved into her throat. She must have cried and screamed out No, No, No! Please Stop! Don’t do this to my son! He is who He says He is! It’s all true. Please believe us. I gave birth to this Man. I raised Him as a baby. He is The Living Son of God! But nobody would listen. The soldiers never stopped. They drove spikes through His wrists and ankles. His body convulsed with pain as they lifted Him on a wooden cross and dropped it into a hole. Close your eyes now and imagine being Mary at the foot of that cross. Look up and imagine seeing YOUR CHILD!!! Thank You Jesus for what you did for me. I don’t deserve it, but you loved me enough. I love You Lord and I will spend the rest of my days showing You that I do. Thank You Father for giving Your Only Son so that we can be with You in heaven someday.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Apr 2014 19:49:37 +0000