Mother's Day

Mother love is amazing. I read somewhere that when men are dying on the battlefield, they cry out for "God" or "Momma".  Mother love, like all love, originates in the heart of God. Jesus said that He desired to take His people under His wings, like a mother hen her baby chicks. [Lk. 13:34]. Proverbs 31 and 1Samuel 1 and 2 are frequently used to depict godly women, and are often cited on Mother's Day, as they were in my congregation today. Proverbs 31 depicts a godly woman as diligent in her work for her family, compassionate to those in need, devoted to the Lord, and wise and frugal in her use of resources. "Her children call her blessed and her husband praises her...Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."
Hannah, Samuel's mother, was a woman of enduring faith. She never lost hope that God would give her a child. She prayed for a child so fervently by the temple that Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk. When God gave her a child, she named him Samuel, which means heard of God, and she gave him to the Lord, as she had vowed in her prayer. Samuel served in the temple with Eli from a very young age. His tremendous ministry was during the reigns of Saul and David, both of whom he anointed, at God's behest, as kings of Israel.  "And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground." [1Sam. 3:19].  Hannah's love and obedience were the fertile soil from which this ministry grew.
Paul cited the sincere faith of Timothy's grandmother, Lois, and mother Eunice; and expressed confidence that the same faith lived in Timothy. [2Tim. 1:5]. 
My mother passed from this earth about three weeks prior to this writing. She was deeply influenced by the faith and love of her mother-in-law, my dad's mom, with whom she lived for a time after marrying Dad at seventeen years of age. Her own mother had died when she was very young, and Mom had scant memories of her. I have in my possession the Bible that MawMaw Graham gave to Mom. It has notes written by MawMaw, Mom and Dad. I just made the entry of Mom's death on the page set aside for "Deaths".  I know, in a very personal way, the blessings of a godly mother and grandmother.
In 1983 Lynn, my wife, and I gave Mom a blank book to record her thoughts. She composed a number of beautiful poems, which I plan to record in this blog at a later date. On the last page of the journal is this prayer:


To all my darling children that God has given to me and whom I love very much:
If I should go on to meet the Lord before you, I'll be looking forward to seeing you again. I trust in
God that He will keep you and my generations to be. That you will all be saved is my prayer.
I praise You my Lord for salvation, for my Family and for my loving husband that you have given to me.
Love you all,
Mom


I received a sympathy card from a dear friend. In it she wrote:
"A Mother's Love is Love you never forget. It lives in your heart forever."
I know this to be true.
And I am eternally thankful to God for the amazing Love he placed in the hearts of His daughters.

I was thinking, after sending out the this message regarding mother's love, that, as a counselor, I have seen many clients who were not blessed with healthy mother's love. And my heart goes out to them.  Some have had mothers who suffered from mental illness: depression, bi-polar disorder, narcisissim, etc. These grew up feeling insecure and vulnerable.

I realize though that, as I stated in the message, mother's love, like all love, originates in the heart of the same God Who is available to us all. And He is fair. And He does not hold us accountable for the people to whom we were born; something over which we had no control.  I have seen that God can and does compensate for the absence of love early in life. He does this through His Church, the body of Christ, in which there are beautiful souls through whom His Love is being manifested in healing ways. And through His Word, where we can find stories and passages that heal our wounded hearts and enlighten us, ministering into our hearts truth and love that was not forthcoming in our families of origin. I have seen examples, as I'm sure you have also, of brave and courageous warriors in the Kingdom who came from broken or unloving homes. It seems that, if we have been bereft of His love in our families, we may have a greater capacity to appreciate it in the Family of God; and all the more determined to manifest it to our children, and to others who have been deprived also. In all this we see the wonderful grace of God, Who makes the first last, and the last first; and Whose Grace is manifested most powerfully to those who have the greatest need. There is no damage done in childhood that can not be healed in His Spirit. When He said, "I have overcome the world", He was speaking of any and everything that could have transpired in our families of origin. His Love conquers all!

Praise His Name forever!