A Mother’s Day Message: "A Mother’s Journey”

Mother’s Day Message: “A Mother’s Journey”

As we begin our time together on this Mother’s Day, I remember years ago when I was preparing for a Mother’s Day message and Michaela said, “And what’s the problem, you already know what to say.”

Now, it’s not so much what she said, but it was the tone and inflection in her voice that truly got my attention. In other words, what she was saying is “Here’s the title of your message. ‘Moms are great,’ so what’s your problem.”

Now, who am I to argue with that, that is, if I want to live another day. But they don’t call me Dennis for nothing.

Now, I’ve always been a fan of Calvin and Hobbes. In a Sunday Mother’s Day cartoon, Calvin comes into his parent’s bedroom and woke his mom.

Calvin: “Hey, Mom! Wake up. I made you a Mother’s Day card.”

Mom: “My, how sweet of you.”

Calvin: “I did it all myself. Go ahead and read it.”

Card: “I was going to buy a card with hearts of pink and red.

But then I thought I’d rather spend the money on me instead.

It’s awfully hard to buy things when one’s allowance is so small.

So, I guess you’re pretty lucky I got you anything at all.

Happy Mother’s Day. There I said it. Now I’m done.

So how about getting out of bed and fixing breakfast for your son!”

Mom: “I’m deeply moved,” she said sarcastically

Calvin: “Did you notice the part about my allowance?”

Some of you may be feeling like Calvin’s mother this morning, wondering if anybody’s going to say, “Thank you Mom for all the good stuff you do.” You know, being a mother is a tough job, so today is your day, and we’re here to recognize and say thank you.

It’s difficult being a mother, and all you moms are saying, “No kidding.” And it’s even harder as a Christian mother in today’s society. Parents realize that as they send their children off to school and out into the world there’s all kinds of evil waiting to trip them up. There’s alcohol, drugs, gangs, pornography, and the like. And so, we must make sure they’re strong in the Lord to help them make it through.

In the past our educational system encouraged Christian principles and attitudes, but today that’s no longer the case. God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible have been systematically removed from our public schools, and as a result children are being taught that there are no longer absolute truths, no longer absolute standards of what’s right and wrong, and that anything and everything goes, as long as if feels good.

And while it’s difficult being a Christian mom, what we need to realize is that these types of difficulties are not unique to our time or culture.

Take Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the difficulties she faced.

Difficulties

1. A Tarnished Reputation (Guilt)

Mary was pregnant out of wedlock, and while we know the story and how the child in her womb was of the Holy Spirit and was none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, do you think the people around her knew that?

Mary came from the small town of Nazareth, and living in Mesquite we understand what a juicy piece of gossip does. Now, in Las Vegas they say, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” But that’s not the case for Mesquite. What happens in Mesquite is known throughout Mesquite and the rest of the world in a matter of minutes.

And so here is this unmarried pregnant teenage girl, and tongues were probably starting to wag prior to her marriage to Joseph. But I wonder; was this something that followed Jesus throughout his life. What I found interesting is that 30 years later they said to Jesus, “We are not illegitimate children … the only Father we have is God himself.” (John 8:41 NIV)

Now to understand, Jesus said to the Pharisees, “But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.” (John 8:40-41a)

Jesus was specifically questioning their relationship with God saying that Abraham wasn’t their father, thus making their father, the devil. But the words they used in reply may have meant something more.

Maybe there are some things in our past that may be keeping us down, or that others keep reminding us of, and we’re feeling guilty. And this is where I am going in this first point.

Nothing destroys a soul faster than guilt. It paralyzes and holds us in bondage.

King David said, “For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” (Psalm 38:4)