“When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”
John 19:26-27
Everything had happened so quickly in Jesus’ family. Mary was in her house carrying out her daily tasks, when John showed up at the door. Mary questioned him, “Why are you so pale? You look as if something terrible has happened.” John replied “They detained Jesus.”-“But… why?” asked Mary. “Judas turned him in.” With trembling in her voice trembling, she said, “It can’t be.” The next few hours were deeply distressing; nobody could do anything to make a difference. The greatest hero of all time was being treated as a villain. Everyone knew that this was a terrible injustice. Mary asked, “But, what did the high priest say? He knows us, can’t he help?” “He said it was best for one man to die then for the whole nation to perish,” answered John. In grief, Mary had to resign herself to see the end come for her son. She was very close to him, following him through the whole process of His suffering. John decided to go with her and remain at her side the entire time. When Jesus looked down from the cross and saw his mother with John, He realized in that moment all that was happening in her heart. Although He knew he was fulfilling His mission, He was also thinking of how to bring healing to His own mother. He opened his lips and said, “Woman, here is your son.” Then, looking at his disciple He added, “Here is your mother.” In the midst of his own suffering Jesus refused to leave this world without first healing the hearts of those He loved and those who had been very faithful to him. Through this, the Lord introduced one of the fundamental principles necessary to bring healing to our hearts, and it is through the use of a substitute.
There was a time when I found myself in a meeting with my team of pastors and after the message we had a time of prayer. I then felt a very strong impulse to approach one of them and say, “I am going to take the place of your father…” When I started to ask him for forgiveness for not having supported him in the most important moments of his life, this man began to cry and lifting up his voice, through the tears he said, “I forgive you father, for having been so distant with me when I needed you the most.”
That experience was so real for this man that never again was he influenced by his past.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Coming back from a men’s Encounter we had the opportunity to listen to testimonies. One of the men who had received inner healing on the encounter got up and looked at his teenage son. He said, “Son, we have always heard of the parable of the prodigal son, but today I want to ask you to forgive me because I am the prodigal father. I have turned my back on you when you needed me the most. I haven’t given you the affection, the love, or the care that you deserve, please forgive me.” With tears in his eyes, the son went over to his father and they embraced each other.
TODAY’S DECLARATION
“In His love, God filled every void in my heart.”
Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume One.
TODAY’S BIBLE READING
- Old Testament: Genesis 50; Psalms 23
- New Testament: Matthew 10:1-20; Acts 15:1-21
