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What were Mary and the Apostles doing? Mary Magdalene? All those who loved Jesus? I have to imagine that they were shell shocked, exhausted and hurting. Their Savior, Mary’s Son, was horrifically crucified! And although Jesus promised to Rise on the Third Day, Easter, I imagine that some had their fears and doubts. We know that Thomas did! What now, some must have asked?

We all have fears and doubts sometimes. We are, after all, human. And since God made us, He understands. And remember that Jesus forgave Thomas and Peter, just as He forgives us 🙂

When those fears and doubts occur, it’s important to keep praying! But sometimes, we can’t find the words. And that is when “rote” prayers can really help. An Our Father, a Hail Mary, the Apostles Creed. Sometimes, when we can’t find the words, “Help Jesus, Thank You” is definitely enough 🙂

It doesn’t matter what words we use to pray. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, Jesus knows what we intend. And He hears our prayers, no matter how long or short.

It can be a long life. But whatever we do, we need to keep praying. Let it be said that we pray like other people breathe. And all will be well 🙂

Mary & Abraham

Abraham, known by so many as the Father of Many Nations, was once called upon by God to “sacrifice” his son.  But at the last minute, God allowed his son to live. He was and is honored by many for his great faith and willingness to obey the Lord-no matter what!

Mary’s Sacrifice

But Mary didn’t just agree to sacrifice her Son, she stood at the Cross and watched him suffer a terrible death. Can you imagine that? How horrific that must have been for her? How much she must have loved God in order to do that! And how much she must have loved us! Since then, millions have honored her love, courage and sacrifice, and so we should 🙂

As a mother, if my child suffers, I suffer with them.  If they hurt, I hurt with them.  When my husband was ill for a time, I worried even more than he did!  This is the way of all good mothers.  I would never have had the strength to be Jesus’ Mother.  To have a Son, who I loved, who would suffer so ,would be more than I could bear.  And that is why I admire Mary so.  I can understand her pain and appreciate her courage. Her unselfishness and desire to follow God’s Will in all things.  I would never be able to do that myself, but I am eternally grateful that Mary did.

Mary’s Trust In God

We all hope and pray that one day our Trust in God will be as strong as Mary’s.  For to watch your Son suffer so, in the midst of impossible circumstances, she Trusted God’s Love for all of us, as well as her Son. And we want to do the same!

That there is a difference of opinion among some regarding Mary matters not, for she will always be a Hero of the Christian Faith and someone that we will all be very grateful to. 

Jesus’ Love For Mary

And for any who doubt Jesus’ Great Love for His Mother, read John 19: 26-27:

“26 When Jesus saw his mother and ^ythe disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ^z“Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to ^ahis own home.

How much Jesus must have loved His mother to think of her care while He hung upon the Cross!

Please Mary, help us to be more like you.  Pray for us ?

With Easter but a few days away, one can’t help but think of all that Jesus suffered.  And how God and Mary suffered too!

Truly, we can’t imagine the strength of Will it must have taken for Jesus to lay his arm down on the Cross and let them hammer the nail into His hand.  And we think of how He could have easily lifted His hand up!  Jesus could have so easily just said No to the Cross, but He didn’t because that is how much He loves us.

And we think of Mary, and how much she loved her Son.  And yet she stood at His Cross.  Although watching him suffer must have torn her heart to pieces, she found the strength to stand there and offer Jesus what comfort she could.

And we think of how God, our Father, must have suffered so.  He loved Jesus and watching His beloved Son suffer must have been so difficult.  But God loved us and was determined to make a way for us.

And the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Friend, must have hurt for Jesus too! The Holy Spirit has feelings and He loved Jesus. Watching Him suffer must have been very difficult.

The Angels, the Apostles, the people who followed Him, those He healed, the people that listened to Him, those that had the privilege of meeting Him – so many Loved Jesus.

Beloved by all those in Heaven and many on earth, they all suffered great pain the day Jesus hung on that Cross.

Jesus died and rose again so that we might go to Heaven too, because He loved us.  But it was not without cost.  His sacrifice was not without great pain and suffering for both Him and all those who Loved Him.  It was the greatest gift we will ever receive – and more than we deserve.

Thank you seems not nearly enough, but it’s what we have.

Thank You Jesus and Thank You to all of those who suffered so.  We are indeed Blessed to be so Loved ?

Some think Fasting is an old fashioned concept.  Some think Fasting is important and still do it today.  But one important reminder: even Jesus Fasted!  So it must be important?

Isaiah 58 tells us both why fasting is important and what is required.  Some people Fast thinking it will persuade God to answer their prayers  And it may,  but only if our prayer is truly unselfish.  In Isaiah 58, it tells of some who fasted hoping God would help them “win a debate” (popular in that time) or some other equally self-centered prayer.

But it goes on to show us that Fasting must be done alongside a life lived for the Love of God and the Love of others.

Fasting is important, but it is only helpful when it is done by one who prays unselfishly, shares their food with those who are hungry and treats others with love.

For example, it is not enough to refrain from treating others badly; we must treat them with love and kindness. 

Can fasting help us grow closer to God.  Absolutely!  In fact, here are just some of God’s Promises and God Always Keeps His Promises 🙂

⁸ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.

⁹ Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

¹⁰ And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day” – Isaiah 58 8-10

In order to have real meaning, Fasting must be accompanied by sincerely loving God and loving others 🙂

It’s so hard to share by words God’s Grace & Mercy, and His Love, because there is nothing like it on this earth to compare it to.

After all, who forgives no matter how many times they are wronged.  Who counts our efforts, rather than our failures?

Who never leaves? Not just physically, but emotionally, no matter where we are in life?

Who loves us, even when we are completely unloveable?

God does 🙂 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”-Jesus (Matthew 11:28)

Life is hard right now, and the future on this earth can appear discouraging.  But God is always there for those who love and follow Him, because God always keeps His Promises 🙂

If you call on our Father in Jesus’ Name, He will answer, because He loves us. Always 🙂

Hope: “Our hope, indeed our help comes from the Lord”

Faith: “now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”

Love: Our Lord’s Greatest Commandment 🙂

“You shall love your Lord God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul and with all your mind and with all of your strength. The second is this, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself'”

“With God, all things are possible” 🙂

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few-Matthew 7:13-14

It’s seems to have become a popular, politically correct notion, that “everyone goes to Heaven”.  But that is not what Jesus said in God’s Word.

Jesus’ message is clear, the way to Heaven is “hard” and “those who find it are few”.

Clearly these verses do not support the politically correct life style of today which appears to be doing whatever you feel like, whenever you feel like it! 

This is a lie.  We don’t get to do whatever we want and still go to Heaven.

If we want to go to Heaven, we need to choose the path that goes there and follow it.  It’s true that if we stray, we can ask God to forgive us through His Son Jesus Christ and repent, and get back on the path.  But we do need to be on that path and we don’t get to do whatever we like, when we like.  It is God’s Will that matters, not ours’ ?

So what do we do?  Put God FIRST.  Accept and follow Jesus.  Keep our eyes fixed on Heaven.  Ask forgiveness for our sins through Jesus Christ and repent (change).  Stay on the path.  And love God and each other ?

And remember-“our hope and our help” comes from the Lord.  God will always answer our cries for help, especially in this, because He loves us.  ?

It’s not enough to say we accept Jesus; we must live it ?

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” – Matthew 7:14-14

“ And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”-Daniel 12:2

What’s interesting in the above verse is that it doesn’t say All. Instead it says Many. And while there are many who suggest a variety of interpretations, I think it is safe to say that if God said Many, He meant Many.

But one thing we can be sure of, whatever the answer, He will use it to our good because He loves us 🙂