MOTHERS ARE AN AMAZING GIFT FROM GOD
If it weren’t for my mom praying for me, I
probably wouldn’t have made it this far. She told me that when I was little, I
once followed a dog down the street, and she had to call the police to help
find me. Then another time, I drank a bottle of her perfume, and she had to
rush me to the hospital. When I was older, I put my mom through even more
drama. I remember a time when I was freaking out on LSD in an old downtown
building in Chicago, and my mom drove her VW Beetle forty miles in an ice storm
to get me. My mom always was big on prayer and trusting God.
I want to relate another story about a mother who trusted God. Her name is
Hagar. We find her story in Genesis 16, 20, and 21. Abraham was married to
Sarah, and Hagar was Sarah’s maid. When Sarah couldn’t conceive, she came up
with the idea that if Abraham could impregnate Hagar, somehow, the child would
be considered hers. I don’t get it, but that’s what they decided, and it caused
significant problems. As soon as Hagar got pregnant, Sarah was jealous and
outraged and treated Hagar horribly. Hagar fled, but on God’s urging, she went
back and submitted herself to Sarah’s domination. Relationships may have
improved slightly, but there was still bitterness and strife in the household.
Abraham’s entourage traveled through the deserts together as a group for the
next thirteen years. By this time, Sarah had conceived and given birth to
Isaac. All of them lived together in the same group of tents: Abraham, Sarah,
Isaac, Hagar, and Ishmael. (Do we really think our “complicated” family
dynamics are so modern?) As we’d expect, there was more drama brewing.
One day when Ishmael was fourteen, Sarah overheard him making fun of her son
Isaac. It must have been the last straw because she threw him and his mother
out. Hagar was devastated. Back then, if you were thrown out, it wasn’t like
you could just go to stay with a friend. These people were nomads. They lived
in a tent city, traveling from place to place according to the water supply.
There was a harsh desert all around them. So when Sarah threw them out, they
had to find a way to survive in the wilderness, or they’d die. Abraham was able
to sneak them one bottle of water and some bread, but when that was gone, life
was over. Hagar wandered in the desert, desperately looking for help. But a
person can only last about three days without water, and there were two of
them. They’d come to the end.
“When the water was gone, she left the youth
in the shade of a bush and went off and sat down a hundred yards or so away. ‘I
don’t want to watch him die,’ she said, and burst into tears, sobbing wildly.
“Then God heard the boy crying, and the Angel
of God called to Hagar from the sky, ‘Hagar, what’s wrong? Don’t be afraid! For
God has heard the lad’s cries as he is lying there. Go and get him and comfort
him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.’
“Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well;
so she refilled the canteen and gave the lad a drink. And God blessed the boy,
and he grew up” (Gen. 21:15-20).
Hagar knew God. She prayed to Him and cried
out to Him. She taught her son to do likewise. God “heard the lad’s cries” and
saved them both. To mothers, this should be a great comfort. When you’ve done
your best, you don’t have to be afraid that you haven’t done enough. God thinks
you have, and He will be there to step in directly for your children when you
can’t. GOD IS THERE FOR THEM. Never stop praying for them.
I believe God has given special abilities to mothers, beyond what most people
even understand. And too often, we don’t acknowledge the depth of extra
strength, endurance, and love that mothers have for their children.
Mothers desperately need the wisdom of God in
raising children. When is it a good thing to keep secrets, for instance? When Jesus was born, the angels came to the
shepherds and told them that the Messiah had come. “For unto you is born this day in the
city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And
when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told
them concerning this child (Luke 2:11, 17).
The shepherds told everyone, and the Bible tells us: “And all
they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by
the shepherds. The people “wondered” but what did Jesus’
mother do? “Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart”
(Luke 2:19). Mary didn’t wonder, she “pondered.” The upbringing of her child
was a very serious matter and she prayerfully thought about every step she
would take in his upbringing. It would be interesting to follow the life of
Christ and look at all the scriptures that include the presence of his mother.
I know of one time when she messed up by interjecting herself into a situation
inappropriately and Jesus had to correct her.
Mary knew from his birth, that Jesus was the Messiah, and she
knew from the scriptures what he would be capable of, but she jumped the gun as
to the timing for him to really start his full ministry. She pushed him to do
something before it was the right time:
“And the
third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was
there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the
marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, ‘They
have no wine.’ Jesus saith unto her, ‘Woman, what have I to do with thee?
mine hour is not yet come’” (John 2: 1-4). It wasn’t quite time for him to
start his ministry, but mom got anxious. God worked it out fine though. Remember,
God looks on the heart, and we all make mistakes.
Another time
when Jesus was twelve years old, it looks like mom maybe wasn’t giving him
enough credit for being old enough to handle the deep things of God. We don’t
know exactly it was, but this time it seems maybe that mom and dad were being
what we call today “helicopter parents” i.e. over-protective. Back in those
days, when the temple teachers got together to read the scriptures, they
discussed the scriptures, their meanings, and applications. Jesus wanted to
know more, and he stayed behind to find out stuff that he wasn’t getting from
mom and dad. I feel that way about kids knowing the truth about devil spirits.
I had a conversation
with a 19-year-old. He was telling me all about a video game he likes to play, describing
demons and evil plans in much detail. We talked about how the things he was
describing were in the Bible and that they are real. He totally agreed and was
surprised that I knew about them! I have found that he and other teens are more
educated about demons than many of the adults I know! These kids are learning
about evil and know that it’s real, but they aren’t learning the connection to
the Bible. That’s where parents come in.
Jesus
sought a source outside of his family, but I don’t see why a parent couldn’t be
their teacher, or both could learn together. Many adults don’t understand the evil
God talks about in the Bible, but there’s no shame in that. By the time a child
gets to be around 12 years old, he or she doesn’t really believe that mom and
dad know everything anyway. I believe many parents would be surprised at how
smart and knowledgeable a 12-year-old can be, and maybe even how willing to
learn something alongside their parent. Just a thought.
Jesus’
parents didn’t seem to be paying enough attention to the hunger Jesus had for
real truth. Did they make a mistake? Probably, but there’s a lesson here. The
Lord is perhaps showing us what to expect and maybe what not to do.
“Now his
parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And
when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the
feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child
Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of
it.
“But they,
supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they
sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they
found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it
came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in
the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And
all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
“And when
they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast
thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee
sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not
that I must be about my Father’s business?
“And they
understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with
them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all
these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and
in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:41-52).
It doesn’t
look like Jesus was an easy child to raise, so if you are having a few problems
with yours, don’t get too upset. God will protect you and them like He did with
Hagar and her son. The Lord will guide you with His wisdom on child raising,
and He is big on forgiveness. God knows what it takes to be a good parent and
He certainly appreciates the work you’re doing.
Today I want to say to all you mothers, I recognize
and applaud all of you! HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY!
Love, Carolyn
