My Garden, OR
Hebrews 13:5 GNT
For God has said, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.”
Last night was an intensely painful, sleepless first night following a surgery. As a caregiver, it’s so hard to see the ones you love suffer. You know in a heartbeat that you would take their pain if it were possible. I have often wondered how intensely magnified that must have been for Mary, the Mother of Jesus, on the day He hung on the cross. Could knowing and believing that He would gloriously rise three days later ease that? I’m not sure, because in the present moment she was watching the vicious execution of her baby boy.
According to Psychology Today, “Tunnel vision occurs when we focus on the central aspects of a given situation at the expense of attention to the periphery; we focus on the core of the situation, to the relative exclusion of the surrounding details. This can kill you.” (The Forensic View 2/2022)
John 19:26-27 NIV tells us, “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” Not only was it Jewish law for Jesus to provide for His mother, but with His words, He broke the tunnel vision. Her periphery and ability to move forward was restored. He would never truly leave or abandon her.
I know that in three days, the pain of last night will be a memory, painful yes, but in the past. To break my own tunnel vision, I wanted to make sure the plants and birds were watered, and the hummingbirds weren’t getting drunk on fermented sugar water. Earlier this spring, I planted a yellow rose in memory of my own mom. Sadly, it was quite damaged by a late frost. So, imagine my surprise this morning to discover a beautiful, perfect rose. A totally unexpected gift of peace and joy from God. A very physical reminder of Our Perfect Lord, the Rose of Sharon, and I heard, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5) From the garden of Eden, to the cross, through the ages, to my garden, He has never left us and He never will. That indeed is worth our focus!
