January 31, 2025
During His crucifixion, Jesus addressed both spiritual and earthly matters. As His life was ebbing away for our sake, He took care of His mother. “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).
After decades of parenting, watching Jesus grow up, and following Him in His earthly ministry, Mary likely thought that when the crucifixion was over, she would return home to grieve and try to establish a life without Jesus—her Messiah and her Son. Yet, God had a better plan. From the cross, Jesus gave His mother a change of address.
The most horrific event imaginable was unfolding, and Mary was dying in a sense too. However, Jesus’ words conveyed that it was not over. Appearances can be deceiving; God’s truth surpasses appearances. Jesus assured Mary that He had another life for her—that she would live and not die and would declare the glory of God.
While there is no comparison to Jesus’ crucifixion, every time a believer faces circumstances beyond their control, God reassures us of His presence. Similar to Mary, God’s message to us is: “I’ve got you. I’ve already prepared a place for you. This did not surprise Me. Just hold on and trust Me.”
When insurmountable challenges arise, God will provide a new address. Sometimes that address might be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual, depending on God’s plan for your life and your environment.
We may wonder why Jesus moved His mother from her home, especially since His brothers eventually became believers (see Acts 1:14, which shows that Jesus’ brothers joined the believers after His resurrection, and the book of James, which many Bible scholars believe was written by Jesus’ brother who began leading the church). Was the change of address for Mary? Was it for John? We don’t know.
What we do know is that God did not allow Mary to die at the cross and become a living corpse for the rest of her life. Some people, even believers, experience that after the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or the death of a dream. But that is never God’s will for His people. God’s will is what happened to Mary: to remain before God’s face (even when it’s challenging) until He directs your next move. No matter how rough things may look or get, God always has a next step for His children. God always has a new address for His own. Hold on.
God bless you!
Pastor Janice Fareed-Hardy
