A Mother’s Heart
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is a bittersweet day for so many. Jesus’ mother knew this bitter sweetness. A small baby nestled in her arms and a prophecy rings in her ears that wrenches her heart for some unknown reason. What is this “sword that will pierce her heart?” Why would anyone want to cast a dark shadow across this day of dedication of God’s Son in the Temple? Pondering is an understatement!
Luke 2:19. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
How does a mom get these kinds of thoughts out of her mind? As moms it doesn’t take long for fear to creep into our hearts. Will I be adequate? Will I know what to do? What if? Then life actually does happen. Her child gets sick. The child fails at something. There’ is a loss of income, how will I feed this child? . A major move. A divorce. Loss of security: Anxiety increases and life just keeps happening.
Luke 2:35 Yea, a sword shall pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
What’s a mom to do? Mary reminds us what we should do! Ponder (remember) the sweet times. The precious moments. The way God orchestrates our lives with perfect timing and surrounds us with love and care when we are feeling scared and inadequate or just plain in over our heads.
Our Moms
We all have a mom. We can all be thankful for one thing she did perfectly: she gave us life even at the expense of her own. Today, thank our Heavenly Father for a human mom who did a super human task of giving birth and then choosing to provide for us as best they knew how. This is the beauty of Mother’s Day. Honor the woman who said “Yes!” to you. Gratitude is the beginning of vanquishing fear in your Mother’s heart as she wonders, “Did I get it right?”
A mother’s heart is a paradox: tough as steel and tender as a peach. Mother’s rise up to defend their bullied child and yet crumple under the same child’s lack of respect. Mother’s are energizer bunnies to accomplish all the necessary tasks to care for a child and yet get weak knees at the sight of a child’s face as they sleep or hands folded in prayer.
Gift of God
I marvel how God gives each child a specific mom to teach lessons, live life, and be just the mom the child needs to grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. A mom’s life is used by God to draw the child to Himself.
I talked with an extraordinary mom of a special needs child the other morning. She spoke of how she thinks “long term” when it comes to the care of this child right down to every morsel the child eats. This mom knows she is in for the duration. She must not only care for the child but herself. Not to mention that she must be available for this gift from God who will always be in her care. This mother ponders in her heart just as Jesus’ mother pondered in her heart the matchless care of the Father for all His children. She, like Mary, rejoices God chose her to be the mom of this incredible kid!
Rise up and call Mother blessed.
Today, think of your mom. Her heart is/was filled with images of moments when she knew her world had collided with eternity. These are the things she ponders or pondered. Times when the bitter met the sweet and became priceless.
Proverbs 31:28 And her children rise up and call her blessed.
Yes, Mary was a special young mom. So was yours and mine!
Mother’s Day Song: A Mother’s Love by Gena Hill (Lyrics)
Pray for moms who are missing their children for whatever reason they are separated. Pray for those who are missing their moms this special day. Thank the Lord for a time when we will all be reunited and all will be made right and understood.
Happy Mother’s Day
For further reading:
https://www.treadingwatertiljesuscomes.com/2019/01/14/persistence-in-prayer/
