At this point Jesus has been brutally tortured and nailed to the cross. He is in excruciating pain, but in the middle of his suffering he looks down and sees his mother, Mary. He says to her, “Woman, behold thy son.” Jesus sees her and is concerned for her needs. (Bible scholars strongly concur that by this time, Joseph had died, and Mary was now a widow.) The weight of all human sin is on Jesus! Yet he takes a moment, in the middle of it all, to make sure his mother knows she will be cared for after his death. She is standing next to his disciple John and Jesus hands her into John’s care by telling her to behold her son. Jesus is conveying to Mary in this moment, John is now going to be your son and he is going to take care of you like a son would take care of his mother. It says in the next verse that from that hour on, John took Mary into his home, and he cared for her.
Read Passage: “Woman, behold thy Son.” — John 19:26
Reflection Questions:
1. Jesus sees us and cares for our spiritual needs, but also for our earthly needs. Read Psalm32:1-8. In verse 8 the Lord says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." Sister, his eyes are upon you and he knows your every need. Do you have something that you are not submitting into his care? Is it a personal need? Take a moment to let him know your heart's desire.
2. Let's take it a bit further. Have you been so consumed by what is going on in your life that you have missed your most important need? It is the deepest human need, easily remedied, yet so profound: The need for a savior. It is the need of the triune God who sees and loves us so much, that he gave his Son to die for our sins, to atone for what we could not, and who then fills us up with his Spirit when we confess, believe, and receive his son Jesus as our savior. Have you personally professed Jesus as your savior? Or if you are a Christian, do you need to confess and get back into step with your savior? (See prayer.)
Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for truly seeing me. You see what is lovely and what is not. Because you see the deepest parts of me, you know what I need, often before I know it myself. Please nudge me with your Holy Spirit to let go of anything in my life that I am trying to hold too close in my own power. Please help me now to lay this thing(s) down at the foot of your cross. I confess these sins (state your sins), believe that you are the son of God, that you died for me, and receive you as my savior. I bless your name El Roi...the GOD WHO SEES. In your name I pray, amen. ***If you gave your life to the Lord today, please let us know so we can rejoice with you! "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9