Till The Very End

Till the Very End

Women At The Cross

Read: Matthew 27:45-61

As Jesus hung dying on the cross, a large group of women kept watch. Matthew identifies three of them: Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of James and Joseph; and the mother of James and John. In his gospel, John tells us that Jesus’ mother and aunt, along with Mary Magdalene, stood near the foot of the cross (see John 19:25). These women, along with many other women, followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Even when events spun horribly out of control, they stayed with Jesus to the bitter end.

These women had witnessed Jesus teaching with undeniable authority, healing the sick, and even raising the dead, and they had devoted themselves to serving him. Now, the terrible turn of events left them frightened and stunned. It seemed that their hopes and dreams were dying along with their beloved Master as he gasped for breath. What strengthened these bewildered, heartbroken women and allowed them to stick with Jesus through the bitter end when others fled in fear? They stayed because of their love for him.

Sooner or later, each of us will face a moment when it seems that our hopes and dreams are dying. We may have crippling health problems, broken relationships, the loss of a loved one, or a child who chooses the wrong path. How will we react when, despite our desperate prayers, there is no visible sign of God’s hand working in our lives? Will we give up our faith and walk away, or will we stay out of love for our Master? The women near the cross couldn’t foresee the wonderful event that was coming in a couple of days. When we feel that we’ve reached the end of the road, we need to remember that we can’t yet see what God has in store for us, either.

If we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.

Hebrews 3:14