This week I learned that a young girl from my community is in a coma after losing control of her car on one of the icy streets nearby. Her family is waiting by her bedside, hoping she will awaken from a coma that threatens to steal her life. As a parent, as a Mom, I have to admit…this story has wrecked me. 

I remember, as a young single woman, telling my father that I wasn’t sure I wanted children. He said, with teary eyes, that I would never understand the depth of love that he had for me until I had my own child. I have to admit, as many of us often do, that my father was actually right… so right in fact, that I repeat this story to my own children, hoping they will also understand the deep love that I feel for them.

Each afternoon, I walk to the end of our long driveway where I wait for my young son to get off the school bus.  Although he pleads with me to “let him walk the driveway alone,” I can’t seem to make myself do it.  We live on a very busy street, and in order for him to get to our driveway, he has to cross it.  Even though the bus driver puts out the stop sign and the big steel arm in front of the bus to keep people from speeding by, I know that it’s possible that someone simply won’t be paying attention.  In this day of texting and distracted drivers, it is possible that someone might not see that stop sign and might hit my little boy as he crosses the street to get to me.  Strangely enough, I have often imagined a frightening scene as I stand there waiting… that a car does miss the stop sign and comes barreling toward my son.  In this imaginary scene, I jump out to stop the car and I am struck, but my son is safe.  Such a concept is morbid, I know, and I have to remind myself, that it’s just my imagination going cuckoo.  But when I think about it, I would gladly spare my life if it meant saving my son.  Anytime, anywhere.  My love is that deep for that one who holds my heart.

Jesus accepted God’s purpose for his life, to take upon the sins of the world through crucifixion, a most inhumane and painful way to go.  The passion narrative says that he did struggle with this insurmountable task, but that he willingly went to that cross, shouldering the burdens of the sins of the world.  He did this because his love for us is deeper than we can ever imagine, even deeper than the love I hold for my precious little boy.  He was blameless, yet he died so that we might have an abundant life, a life where we get to be reunited with the God who created us and loves us—so much so, that He sacrificed His only son for us.  By his sacrifice—by his wounds—we are healed and can live now and evermore in the kingdom of God.  His love runs that deep for us— for the children who hold his heart.

Lord, help me to remember that you love me so much that you gladly traded your life for mine.  Help me to live my life in a way that would honor the sacrifice you made on my behalf. I have peace, forgiveness, and an abundant life because of you. Amen

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:1-12)