Bitterness and Rebellion Gave Birth to Salvation

If you have heard of Jesus, you have almost certainly heard of his mother Mary.  However, she was never called Mary in real life.  Her name was Miryam.  The name Miryam comes from the older sister of Moses, who watched over him while he floated in a basket on the Nile River.  She was the one who ensured that he survived when other young baby boys were being killed.

In Egypt, one of the meanings of the name Miryam is love.  So Jesus was born of Miryam, or you could say, Jesus was born of love.  Love certainly from his mother but also born of the love of the father.  God was the father of Jesus and out of his love for the world, He sent Jesus to us. The name Jesus means salvation.  Out of the love of God, salvation was born.

In Hebrew, the meaning of Miryam is quite different.  It means bitterness and rebellion.  Out of bitterness and rebellion was born salvation.  God takes those who are bitter and rebellious and brings forth salvation to them.  

Look around the world and you will see bitterness towards others everywhere.  Rebellion is the rule rather than the exception.  Solving one source of bitterness in your life will only make room for something else to be bitter about.  The answer to all this is found only in Jesus because salvation is found only in Jesus.

Salvation is more than just eternal life in Heaven forever.  Salvation is also freedom from bitterness. It means instead of rebelling, to be supporting what is good and right.  It is a new life that is abundant, free, joyful and full of peace.  No guilt!  No fear! No emptiness! No hate! Just a life that is worth living.

"...I come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10b

Photo Credit: Violence! [Explored] by Riccardo Cuppini