Myrrh & Mothers’ Tears of Joy & Grief
Have you ever wondered what it was like to be Mary, the Mother of Jesus? Like all mothers throughout the ages, she shed tears of joy and grief. Believe or not, there’s a correlation between the tears of Mary (the Mother of Jesus) and Myrrh — a correlation that can be applied to all mothers.
I would imagine Mary shed tears of joy upon seeing her newborn for the first time. What a perfect gift the Wise men graced Mother Mary with – myrrh. The myrrh that the wise men presented her in honor of the birth of Jesus, the King of Kings, is one of the ingredients in the “oil of joy” described in Psalm 45:7-8.
Mary also cried tears of grief, as myrrh was used in the burial process for her Son Jesus (John 19:39-40). Myrrh is the resin that comes from the “tears” of a tree. The myrrh tree is cut and “wounded”, so the healing sap oozes down the bark like tears. This healing sap hardens to become the resin from which the myrrh oil is extracted.
Tears of Joy
If you are a mom, you can relate to Mother Mary as you journey through the triumphs and trials of life with your children. In addition to the ecstasy of holding your newborn, there are many other celebratory events that bring tears of joy:
- The excitement of your baby taking their first step
- Giggles that burst forth from innocent funnies
- Milestones like graduations and weddings.
- Your child becoming a parent.
Tears of Grief
Like Mother Mary, moms shed tears of grief.
- Losing a child at a store or in the midst of crowd. Mother Mary lost 12 year old Jesus when they were traveling back home after celebrating the Feast of Passover. They didn’t find him until three days later! (Luke 2:41-51)
- Releasing your child out of the home and into the world (school, college, first job). Jesus was greatly tempted by Satan just before He launched his ministry.
- Threats to your child’s life through bullying or other means. The religious authorities were seeking ways to have Jesus arrested – even though He was innocent.
- The death of your child. Although moms expect to outlive their children, this is not always the case. Mary witnessing the crucifixion of her son is probably the worst type of agony a mom can bear. If you can relate to the death of your child, know that you are not alone. If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, His resurrection power within you and the comfort of the Holy Spirit can help you to rise above any circumstances or grief.
Myrrh – Oil of Joy
In addition to the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus, the Author of Creation has provided us the oil of myrrh: one of the oils of joy referred to in Psalm 45:7-8. Several commentaries indicate this is a prophetic psalm referring to Jesus as the Messiah. I believe there is a physical element as well. Jesus created myrrh to promote overall health, so that we can experience more joy.
According to Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, Myrrh has properties that are strengthening for the heart as well as sedative properties that can reduce anxiety and stress. In addition, Myrrh was used in biblical times for beauty preparations and perfume to enhance beauty (Esther 2:12).
As we incorporate what Jesus created into our lives, and remain in the love of Jesus, His “joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”(John 15:11).
May you be anointed with joy not only on Mothers Day, but in the years ahead.
(Learn more about how several moms experienced more joy by using Oils of Shakan product blends.
References
Price, L., Price, S. Aromatherapy for Health Professionals. London: Elsevier (2012).
Fragrant Wednesday Wisdom is our blog or vlog (video blog) that covers inspirational and educational messages about the benefits of essential oils and other gifts from God’s creation from a biblical and scientific perspective.