An Eternal Family Of God

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.” (John 19:26-27, ESV)

When a large ice storm hit Nashville this past winter, a friend who lives there went without power for nearly a week. The small generator and wood-burning fireplace offered limited warmth, but prolonged outage in abnormally frigid temperatures left thousands vulnerable and weary.

What struck my friend most, however, was not just the cold, but the community. Neighbors who barely spoke during sunny days were suddenly knocking on each other’s doors. Hardship turned strangers into companions, candles into shared light.

At the cross, the place of the fiercest storm in human history, Jesus gathered his people. Even as he bore unimaginable suffering, he was building shelter. And in his final moments, he formed an eternal family that would stand long after the storm had passed.

In John 19:26-27 we encounter some tender last words from Jesus on the cross. From a place of great suffering, he hangs his head looking down at the mourners who stand at his pierced feet. As he strains his eyes, Jesus sees his mother and stares intently at her. In that moment, I can imagine Mary’s reaction. Through a gaze clouded by her own tears, she thinks, yes, I see you, my son. I am beholding you with all the strength I can muster. It must have been gut-wrenching to watch her son die slowly and with so much physical agony. Perhaps, for brief moments, she even looked away to regain her composure. But then, knowing the end was near, she saw him straining to speak to her. She presses in to hear his trembling voice: “Woman, behold, your son!”

“Yes, I see you,” Mary may have replied, “and I am with you.” But Jesus does not intend for his mother’s gaze to remain fixed only on him. After gathering her attention, Jesus looks at his beloved disciple, John, and says, “Behold, your mother!” It’s as if Jesus is saying, “Mother, look at John. He is now your son, and John, look at Mary. She is now your mother.”

Our Savior did not intend to leave his mother without a son, nor his friend without a mother. Even in the peak of suffering, Jesus loves beyond all understanding, and in creating this relationship between two people Jesus loved dearly, our Savior created a new, spiritual family.

Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, you, child of God, belong to a redeemed household, the church. This is not a loose association of individuals, but a living body, knit together in Christ. In his words to Mary and John, Jesus says to you and to me, “Look around and see my body that will love and care for you in my physical absence.”

If you’re longing for a child, your life is not void of precious children who look up to you. If you are missing a mother or father, you are not without a spiritual parent who watches out for you. And if you’re a grieving widow, you’re not walking this life alone. You have a family to sustain you, love you, and provide for you.

Reflect: Ask Yourself: Have I been living like an orphan within my church family? If so, ask Jesus to help you remember that his church is a gift. Through his strength, take one small step toward the spiritual family he has already given you.