Today's Passage - John 19:26

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 19:26   When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, "Woman, here is your son"...    When Jesus Christ is crucified on the cross, he actually bears great and excruciating pain. Not only is he suffering pain in the flesh, but also is suffering in his soul and spirit. He is bearing God's judgment for the sins of the people in the world. Nevertheless, during his most painful times, he did not think about himself, but rather sees the pain and needs of his earthly mother. He fulfills his role as the Son of Man on earth as he exhausts his last breath. Thus, he says to John, the disciple he loved, "Here is your mother!" and says to Mary, "Woman, here is your son!" He wants to let his disciple take care of his mother.   Brother and sisters, Jesus is truly a person who honors his parents. The Bible says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."  To "obey" is not to blindly follow, but in the boundary of the Lord's teaching, honor and submit to the parent's leading. When Jesus' parents returned to the holy city to look for Jesus, he says to them, "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" However, after saying these words, he still listens to his parents, and go back home with them. Jesus understands that as a man, he should fulfill the duty God has originally instituted for man. He should care about his earthly parents' needs and do what pleases them.    Today in our role as children of our parents, do we know we should care about the needs of our parents? Many times, we see our parents as only causing us inconvenience, as too demanding, but don't often think about them from their point of view to satisfy their hearts' desires. Even during Father's Day and Mother's Day when thinking of buying an appropriate gift, we can't come up with an ideas after thinking for a while. In reality, we are not able to completely fulfill their needs, but at the very basic, we can pray for them. When I say pray, I don't mean to skim the surface, quickly mention them, but to spend time before God's presence, deeply pray for them. Because whoever prays this kind of prayer will see and empathize with their needs, and it will lead to true and responsible caring action.    Brothers and sisters, we need to often remember our parents. This generation of parents have gone through many trials, and their heart and spirit are lonely and bitter. As a result people's words and caring are difficult to truly satisfy them. If your parents haven't believed in the Lord, you need to even more deeply and fervently pray for their souls. Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer says if you see how frightening God's judgment will be for the person, it is impossible for you not to share the gospel with him. Only the gospel of the Lord can bring our parents true peace, joy, and satisfaction. May God help us, let us begin to pray for our parents, and may God grab a hold of their hearts.                                Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, I thank you. You not only give me grace, but also gladly and willingly give grace to my family. I ask for the personal leading of the Holy Spirit to lead my parents. If they are willing to believe in you, I ask you to help them trust in you. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!