The Thoughts of those that saw Jesus Die on the Cross

Verses: Psalms 137: 1 - 9

Song inspired by the chapter:  Song has been uploaded from YouTube.com and is not my original.

My thoughts about the verses:

This Psalm is referring to the way people felt as the temple was destroyed.  They were in great sorrow and pain.  Their minds were filled with worry and stress.  They were seeing the destruction of those that had held them exile.  Yet, their pain was still very strong.

I want us to think on this a moment.  These feelings could be the same as those that saw Jesus died.  Imagine seeing your savior losing the battle with life and dyeing on the cross.  The sorrow and anguish had to be almost unbearable to handle.  Your fear that everything that Jesus was doing is coming to end.  Your hopes are being devastated because of the death of your Messiah.

Haven’t we all been there at some point in our life?  We have someone that we look up to for guidance.  Then all of a sudden they pass away.  Their death leads to agony and pain.  You wonder if things will ever be the same.  You see yourself without the leader that was guiding your life.

I had this happen to me less than a year ago.  My mentor died after a long valiant battle against cancer.  She taught me so much.  She showed me the right way of reaching out from the church into the community.  She taught me how to become respected by others.  She showed me how to put my full trust in God.  Even as she was fighting her battle she took time to call me just to make sure I was okay.

The moment that I heard that she had passed was very devastating.  It is one of those times that Facebook wasn’t in existence.  I had to piece together different post to come to a semi conclusion that she had passed.  I called a different mentor in my life and asked if she had heard.  She ended up calling around and then called me back and said yes.  N those moments when I wasn’t sure what was going on and it was bit and pieces coming across the web I was in extreme denial.  Maybe they were referring to someone else.

Then the phone rang and I was told that yes she had passed away.  My hopes were destroyed in that moment.  I wondered what I would do without her prayers and her bits of wisdom.  I even missed her teacher’s look.  I did not know what I was going to do. 

Then I remembered the one thing that she taught me as she was battling cancer to not give up.  I learned that I needed to teach others about God.  To walk around in the peace that God was there.  To accept that I had learned what I needed to learn.  I was ready to go on and serve God with a spirit of love and maturity.

I wonder what the disciples thought for those three days.  Were they struggling with the death like I was?  Were they afraid that they would be laughed at?  Would they be the next to die?  Would they have to go in hiding?  Just what would happen in those days to come?  Their hearts had to be gripped with despair.  They never thought their master would leave.  They thought the Messiah was meant to save the world.  How could he do that from the grave?

You can almost see their faces filled with joy and relief when Jesus rose from the grave.  They were not by their self.  Jesus was still there to guide them.  They finally understood what God wanted out of the life.  They finally learned what Jesus had taught them their whole life.  They were ready for the next feat.  There were to go out in the world spreading the word of salvation.  They were to go beyond the walls of the community into the world.  They learned what they were truly ready to go on without Jesus.  That the teaching that they thought was incomplete is truly complete and they were ready to be the leaders Jesus really needed.

Prayer:

Dear God we bless you for the way you show we love.  We praise you for teaching us through our pains.  Help us accept the task that you have placed in our lives.  Help us reach out beyond the walls of our comfort to reach those that truly need to feel your love.  In the name of our Messiah we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Do you accept the mission you are called to do?  Are you willing to accept that Jesus has called you and has prepared you for great things?  Have you accepted that even though Jesus passed away we have strength to move on?  Do you have a mentor that has passed?  Are you willing to honor their memory by serving God with all of your heart and soul?