And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:34-35)
And I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication. And they shall look earnestly upon Me Whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)
Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. (John 19:31-34)
Mary, according to Scripture, was present at the crucifixion of Jesus. So Mary lived to see Simeon's prophetic blessing come to fruition... but what sort of "blessing" is it to watch your firstborn die?
Pastor Sam reminded us of the danger of living life with what he terms a "kindergarten theology". Kindergarten theology assumes that Christian faith is a means by which we avoid hardship and trial. Our pastor urged us to recognize such thoughts as what they are: tools of the devil, used strategically to derail the faith of many when crisis enters their lives. We are called to exercise maturity in our faith. Mature faith understands that the blessings and graces of God are frequently accompanied by deep anguish.
The prophet Zechariah spoke of this correlation (Zechariah 13:8-9): "And in all the land, says the Lord, two-thirds shall be cut off and perish, but one-third shall be left alive. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined and will test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will hear and answer them. I will say, It is My people; and they will say, The Lord is my God." It is the awakened community of faith, the community alive in Christ, that God gives the privilege of being drawn closer to Him. How does the closeness bloom? Through the testing of our faith by the fire of adversity.
Mary. A young woman with a mature faith, equipped to endure the piercing that accompanied her blessing.
Will your soul still magnify the Lord in the season of testing?
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