His Tender Compassion for Others [John 19]
6So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, "Crucify, crucify!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him."
25Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" 27Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.
28After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, "I am thirsty."29A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
As I read this passage this morning I noticed the things John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, chose to record about our Lord's cruel death on the cross. I was particularly struck with the tenderness Jesus had for His mother even as He was enduring immense pain. It could not have been anything but extremely difficult to say that many words as He was struggling to breathe. I am captured by His tenderness.
Lord, we praise You for Your love and compassion for the people who were with You during Your last hours. May we reflect that tenderness to our families even in our own difficult times. We praise You, Jesus for the finished work of redemption that makes it possible to access Your grace!
Verna McCrillis, 12/22/2010