by Mary Reigart

 

Certain pictures and scriptures about Jesus flash into my mind…

 

He was playful. There is a scene in the movie, ”Passion of the Christ”—one of the few that did not make me close my eyes. It was a scene between Jesus and Mary. They were splashing each other with water, laughing, teasing. It was a wonderful demonstration of a mother/son relationship. So often I think of Jesus as a baby at Christmas or in his thirties during his ministry. But I love to imagine him as a son, a sibling, a friend. Fully God and fully Man. Only our God.

 

He was responsible. So many of my contemporaries are struggling with care for aging parents. I marvel when I think of Christ on the cross, very near his death, talking to John about caring for the same mother who had cared for him. “She is your mother.“ (John 19:27) He honored his mother from his first miracle at the wedding in Canaan to the cross. Do you honor your parents?

 

Does he still feel the pain? I try not to, but my mind wanders to the cross. Pain at its worst, bullying at its best. I am reminded of an old song by Ray Boltz. “Does he still feel the pain every time I fail?” Or do we continue to doubt him like Thomas? Or deny him like Peter? I never want to hurt him but I have to wonder…

 

He so knows what we need. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) My life would be so different if I could just remember that He is God and I am not. And that we are to pray rather than worry. I repeat this scripture, use it as a password and let go, surrender until I read the prayer chain or my phone beeps.

 

The last thing on my mind. Jesus prays to the Father, to forgive those who had done this to Him. Can you imagine? Who do you need to forgive? Is there anyone for whom you keep a scorecard of wrongs? Forgiveness is for us and yet we can hold on so tightly. Scripture is clear.