Only Mary Raised A Perfect Child

“Only Mary had a perfect child!”

Today is mother’s day.

Tendency is to hold up a high lofty view of motherhood that no one, other than Mary, could ever possibly live up to.

a.And that not of herself, but only because Jesus was Gods Son.

So instead of making you moms feel better, we often tend to leave you looking for your short comings.

Measuring yourself by some unrealistic standard.

I got thinking this week of Adam and Eve.

• Neither of them was born, nor did either of them have parents.

The only couple without in-laws. Everyone else has had that pleasure.

Consider with me:

It was not until after they had sinned that Eve bore children.

( Read Gen. 4:1-2 ) 1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.

We don’t often think of that, but it gives clearer understanding to the scripture that there is none righteous, no not one, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

So if any of you moms sitting out there this morning are thinking to you’ve, I’ve raised the perfect child.

( Buzzer sound )

But then again: You weren’t called to bear perfect children, but to bear Children that with Gods help would become eternally perfect, if they so made that choice.

What you were called to do was to be the vessels through whom God would replenish the numbers on the earth.

You were called to be the nurturing blanket in which a child would wrap their life from the moment of conception, and through all the days of their life.

Which is why after dad gave your child a home, taught him how to play football. Spent hours with him in the yard. Paid huge portions of his college bill, that when the camera is on him on the sidelines at the end of the game, he yells HI MOMMMMMMMM.

But something else hit me this week. Mother’s day isn’t just about those who have born children, but it’s about all women.

Because while not all women bear children, all women have the desire to, the ability or gifting to.

And many women, who never physically bear a child, do more to assure the well being of children than some natural mothers.

Some of the best, teachers, social workers, medical people, and church workers are those women who never actually suffered the pains of labor and yet have impacted the life of millions of children all over the earth.

Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians:

"Be glad, O barren woman,

who bears no children;

break forth and cry aloud,

you who have no labor pains;

because more are the children of the desolate woman

than of her who has a husband."

I would dare to say Mother Theresa would never of touched the millions of children that she did had she of been a married woman at home.

This morning I want to see what we can glean from a smorgasbourg of Biblical mothers.

Beginning with Eve:

From Adam and Eve - We see the heart of a mother who overcomes personal tragedy and personal family tragedy regarding her children.

The will to try again.

How many of you moms have tried cooking, sewing, and had to try it again?

Remember Cain and Able

1.One Son unwilling to do it Gods way, and the other who obeys God, is killed because of his obedience to God.

Truth is that scenario short of the murder is often played out in our homes. One child more than willing to serve God and the other more than willing to drive you crazy by not serving God.

Same mom, same love different results.

How easy it would be, having lost your one obedient child and being left with the one who has killed him to just stop there. Call it quits.

To go into a place of emotional withdrawal.

And yet Gen. 4:25 says she tried again and was blessed for it.

25 Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."

Death to a child will always be hard for a mother.

1.For 9 months they carry them in the womb.

2.In the early months and years they nurse them on their breast

3.So when they die prematurely – It takes a great deal for them to move forward. By prematurely I mean when they die before the mom.

Still born, infant, childhood years, teen years, or any point there after.