May 2005
 On
the second Sunday this month, we celebrate
Mother's Day. One thing we all share in
common is that we have a mother. All of
us know the importance of this day. We
will either be with her, or hold her close
in our hearts and minds. She is our love,
no matter what!
Our Mom
It would not be right
to not mention Eve, who was the mother
of all living. 1
Sometimes we forget about her. Some of
us blame her or our own mom for our troubles.
The Bible says Adam was formed first,
then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but
the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
2
I used to blame mom for
a lot, until I matured to see that none
of it was her fault, only mine. My mom
was not perfect, but close to it. She
loved me when it seemed no one else did,
and she never let me go until the day
she entered into heaven. Mom told me of
promises she asked my brother and sister
to make concerning my care, weeks before
her death. She always had my best interest
in mind even though I had failed so miserably.
There is much more to
say about my mom, but how about your mom?
Surely, you have great and abiding love
for her, but perhaps you don't know how
to share it. There may be deep wounds
in your heart concerning your relationship.
You could have a perfect relationship
with your mom. Sadly, many do not have
that privilege. I did not know how to
receive the love of my mom, therefore,
I feel sad that this perfect relationship
is not being experienced in their lives.
Mom's Love
There is nothing that
can take the place of the love that only
a mother can give. Many of us have watched
a televised birth when the newborn is
placed on their mother's chest. Even if
the mom is displeased with having a child,
there is a natural instinct built within
a mother to care for her child. The Lord,
our Creator, knew that love and care was
the most important need from birth in
order to be healthy. The Apostle John
said: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper
in all things and be in health, just as
your soul [mind, will and emotions] prospers.
3
The love and nurturing
of God is sometimes compared to the love
and caring a mother gives to a newborn.
Paul referred to a new Christian as "babes
in Christ", 4
implying a connection to Jesus and God
as mother as well as father. The Apostle
Paul said we were gently among you as
a mother feeding and caring for her own
children. We loved you so much that we
gave you not only God's Good News but
our own lives too. 5
The Apostle Paul knew
the agape, self-sacrificial love
of God, he displayed towards the church
of the Thessalonians, but there is another
kind of love at work which we rarely hear
about. Storge is affection, such
as a parent has for her children. It is
being kindly affectionate to one another
with brotherly love, in honor giving preference
to one another. 6
It is the glue holding all other types
of love together. It is the medium by
which all love operates. It's the humblest
love, showing appreciation for God and
His children, expressed with thanksgiving
for their works. It is to respect and
serve, to help and care for and to encourage
others. In other words, family love [storge]
is the framework in which agape
love is expressed.
We learn to love by the
examples we have around us. We can never
truly know the love that God intends for
us to experience unless we are born of
God's love. It is His love that motivates
us to love. If we grow up around love
with many hugs, kisses and encouraging
words, we will respond with similar ways.
A powerful expression of love is what
motivates a family towards success and
prosperity in this life and in the life
to come. In all things we are more than
conquerors through Him who loved us. 7
Regrets
One of my favorite photos
of my mother shows her with her Bible
on the church steps. My dad volunteered
over nine hundred hours in the building
of that church. I watched him dig deep
pilings while laying the foundation. It
was a lot of fun as a ten year old kid
watching the church being built and helping
my dad when I could carry something.
My regret is that I did
not build my own life from the word of
God being proclaimed by the lives of my
church friends. I had a choice to either
build the foundation of my life upon the
Rock or the sand. 8
I was hard headed, focusing on the sandy
things of this world,-desiring to gratify
my flesh instead of focusing on the solid
Rock promises of God's Son, Who gave His
life for me to see the world of the kingdom
of God. As a result, I never experienced
the power, love, righteousness, peace
and joy in life that only the Holy Spirit
can give. 9
For awhile, I blamed
the church for not being more on fire,
but finally I saw that it was my unwillingness
to receive what the Lord had to offer
me as a teenager. I reached out and took
hold of the things of the world and made
it my own, instead of grabbing hold of
the things of God. Just as Jesus said:
"The light from heaven came into
the world, but they loved the darkness
more than the light, for their actions
were evil." 10
Lost Memories
There were many wonderful
memories that were never created because
of my foolishness. Not only for my family
and I, but for the families of my victims.
They never got to even experience letters,
phone calls and an occasional visit like
I did for the thirty-three years before
my mom's death. There is absolutely nothing
I can do about this loss except warn those
who might make the same mistake of not
listening to their parents and God's promises
for a successful life. The relationship
God forms with us and those we form with
others are the most important facets of
our life.
My mom often talked about
her funeral, planning it to be a very
special occasion. The hymn "Others°
was sung, because her thoughts centered
on others. She tried to pass this trait
on to me, but instead she was able to
comfort those who were suffering, because
of the comfort she had received during
the trials I caused her.
I left home in 1967,
a very self-centered person, no fault
of my family. I broke mom's heart, but
she loved me unconditionally anyway. There
was never any doubt of her forgiveness.
She was the best, but of course we all
think that of our mom. She's living with
Jesus now. Her voice rings in my ears
as I hear her singing throughout heaven.
She made sure that I had several pictures
of her for my wall which I greatly treasure,
so she is always close to my heart. I
know she would be proud of me today as
I live thinking of how to reach out to
others. I think she would be very proud
of me. It makes my heart glad to know
that I have ended up honoring my mom.
11
Homecoming Day!
One day soon I will get
to see my mom in heaven. This is the blessed
hope for all of us who have received Jesus.
12 To not only see
Him at His coming, but to see our loved
ones who have gone before us. As the old
hymn goes, "When we all get to heaven,
what a day of rejoicing that will be.
When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and
shout the victory." I get all excited
just thinking about it.
The Apostle Paul said:
And now, brothers and sisters, I want
you to know what will happen to the Christians
who have died so you will not be full
of sorrow like people who have no hope.
For since we believe that Jesus died and
was raised to life again, we also believe
that when Jesus comes, God will bring
back with Jesus all the Christians who
have died. 13
I can tell you this directly
from the Lord. We who are still living
when the Lord returns will not rise to
meet him ahead of those who are in their
graves. For the Lord Himself will come
down from heaven with a commanding shout,
with the call of the archangel, and with
the trumpet call of God. First, all the
Christians who have died will rise from
their graves. Then, together with them,
we who are still alive and remain on the
earth will be caught up in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air and remain
with him forever. So comfort and encourage
each other with these words. 14
A Prayer For You:
My desire is to help
you experience the comfort of the Holy
Spirit. Let us pray together the following
prayer:
O God, my Father, I thank
You for my dear mother who I celebrate
this day. May this be a wonderful day
of fellowship spent with her. I pray for
those whose mothers have gone to be with
You. That they will enjoy many sweet memories
of their mother, while longing to be with
her one day when we meet Jesus face to
face. I thank you Holy Spirit for sealing
me as God's special possession, knowing
that on that glorious day He will receive
me unto Himself. Thank You for being my
Comforter, filling me with Your righteousness,
peace and joy. In Jesus Name. Amen!
Footnotes:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8) |
Gen.
3:20
1 Tim. 3:13-14
3 John 2
1 Cor. 3:1
1 Thess 2:7-8
Rom. 12:10
Rom 12:10
Matt. 7:24-27 |
|
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14(
|
John
3:19
Rom. 14:17
Eph. 5:1-3
Titus 2:13
1 Thess. 4:13-14
1 Thess. 4:15-18 |
|
|
|
