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)
There are plenty of reasons we feel guilty. We all make mistakes and carry around the guilt associated with them. The weight of this guilt is often too heavy to bear, and it prevents us from living the life God has purposed for us. It also makes us hesitant to embrace the life has for us.
But instead of letting guilt drag us down, we need to give it over to God, because He’s the only one who can remove it.
The Bible says, “God declares us ‘not guilty’ of offending Him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in His kindness freely takes away our sins.” (Romans 3:23 LB)
The most basic truth in Christianity is that Jesus Christ has already paid for our sins. No psychologist can remove our guilt because only God has the power to forgive our sins and take away the guilt that goes along with them. Further, God’s forgiveness isn’t based upon how bad our sins are, but on how good God is.
Maybe there are some things we have done wrong, and we feel unworthy because of what others may be saying. The Bible gives us this piece of advice.
The Apostle Paul said, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV)
God forgives our past, or I could say it like this, “Our past is forgiven through our faith in Jesus Christ, who chooses to no longer hold our it against us. Therefore, we need to stop holding it against ourselves.”
Also, we need to encourage our children not to repeat the same mistakes we made, but also, we need to realize they probably will. Therefore, we need to help them realize that God is a God of grace and mercy, along with the fact that as children of God they have a Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, who understands everything we go through and desires more than anything else to help them.
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16 NKJV)
So, let’s encourage our children by letting them know they can have this new beginning through Jesus Christ, just as we have, and encourage them to live in the fullness of His love.
2. The Difficulty of Poverty
We don’t really realize just how poor Mary and Joseph were. When Jesus was born and they brought him to the temple, the sacrifice they offered was two doves, which was the sacrifice for the poorest in society.
Now, I’m sure all of us experience financial hardships. And as a mom you’ve experienced the pressures of trying to buy the things your kids want, from the right clothing to the right electronic gadgets, which now cost about the same as a car. And once again the guilt starts to set in.
But instead of always buying them what they want, it’s far better that we help them get out of the materialistic mindset of our world. Take time to teach them that life doesn’t consist of what we possess, but there are more important things in life, eternal things that will last forever.
Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 NKJV)
One mother spent several years living in a dilapidated mobile home. One day her son came home and announced that his best friend had run away from home. She asked, “Don’t they have a nice home, and all the things you keep asking me about.” And he said, “Yes, but they don’t have what we have, lots of love.”
It is therefore far more important to give love rather than the stuff, because it wasn’t the stuff that God gave to us, rather it was His love in the form of His Son, Jesus, dying on the cross, taking our place and dying our death.
The third difficulty that Mary faced is something we all face, and that is the attacks of Satan.
3. Satan’s Attacks
Mary and Joseph faced what all Christians face, and that’s Satan’s hatred and attacks against them and the family. When Jesus was born, Satan was trying to do away with Him. While Jesus was still a toddler, an angel came to Joseph in a dream saying, “Get up (and) take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” (Matthew 2:13 NIV)
As a Christian, Satan knows that our children are God’s gift to us. Now, some of you may be wondering is that even in the Bible. Well, it is. In Psalms 127:3 it says, “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.” (NLT)
And Satan knows that one of the quickest ways to destroy the family is to attack the children who don’t have the maturity or the power to deal with him.
We need to take the time necessary to protect our children from the attacks of the enemy, even if that means curtailing their activities for their own good. Now most youth think they’re mature enough to handle life, but they’re not. Even science has found out that a person’s brain doesn’t fully mature until they are around 25 years old, that’s why car rental agencies used to rent only those who were 25 or older.
The inability for children to emotionally process what’s going on around them is one of the reasons I tell adults not to divorce. And that’s because it is the children who suffer, because while adults are more mature and somewhat better able to handle it, the children aren’t.
And so, to protect our children, we’re going to have to say no to some of their movies, computer games, social media involvement. We even have to say no to some of their friends, because as the Bible says, “bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NLT)
“Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.” (Proverbs 22:6 NLT)
As parents, we also need to discipline our children so that they can grow up to be strong Christian men and women of faith. And we’re not being cruel; as many of our youth think that we are when we take away, dare I say, their phones. Rather we are saving them from the cruelty of life and what Satan is trying to do to hurt them.
Now, let me add one more thing, and that is that Mary may have been a single mom later on. We don’t know what happened to Joseph. He dropped out of the narrative after Jesus turned twelve and was taken to the temple. So, Mary may have been a single mom while raising Jesus and the rest of the children.
Let me just say to single moms, my hat’s off to you. You have to be both mom and dad to your kids. It’s double the load, double the work, and double the responsibility, and it doesn’t go unnoticed, especially by me. Michaela was a single mom for most of her children’s lives, and with the help of her heavenly Father, she raised three remarkable kids.
Mary also had resources she could rely upon.
Resources
a. A Commitment to God’s Will
After the angel told Mary that she would have a child through the Holy Spirit and He would be called the Son of God. She said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38 NKJV)
Mary knew that this is what God had called for her to do, that it was God’s will for her to give birth to Jesus, the Son of God.
James Keller said, “Every mother has the breath-taking privilege of sharing with God in the creation of new life.”
When God places a child or children into our care, His will is for us to bring them up in a home where they will know God and His word, along with Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
Again, I go to proverbs to bring this point out. “Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.” (Proverbs 22:6 NLT)
b. An Obedient Child
Mary had the blessing of a child who was obedient. The best thing we as children can give to our parents, whether we’re grown or not, is to be respectful and obedient. It is a better gift than cards, flowers, and yes, even chocolate.
In fact, this is a command directly from God. Look at how the Apostle Paul said it.
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’” (Ephesians 6:1-3 NKJV)
But kids can be creative, and a little mischievous, like me. My mom said that if she had me first, she would have had me last.
There’s a story of a little boy had 2 pieces of candy, and his mother asked, “What are you going to do with them.” And the little boy said, “Eat them.”
Thinking it was a great opportunity to teach generosity, the mother said, “Why don’t you share one with your brother.” And the little boy replied, “No, I don’t have enough to share. I’m going to eat them myself.”
The mother then asked, “What do you think Jesus would do if He had 2 pieces of candy?” and without missing a beat the little boy said; “He’d probably make two more pieces and give them to His brother.”
But for Mary her job was much easier. She had an obedient child, not only towards her, but also towards God. At 12 years old when they came looking for Him in the temple, Jesus said, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?” (Luke 2:49)
c. A Supportive Husband
We’re not quite sure when Joseph died, but we do know he was there for the family for the first 12 years of Jesus’s life. When she became pregnant with Jesus, Joseph was told in a dream to take Mary home to be his wife. When she told him about her need to go and spend time with her cousin, Elizabeth, he supported her. And for those first years, he supported her and the family through his talent as a carpenter.
Husbands, the Bible says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.” (Ephesians 5:25 NIV)
Husbands, the best thing we can do for our wives is to be supportive, pray, encourage, and be there for them. It’s to help her become everything that God had created for them to be.
One evening after work, a husband realized that he hadn’t been very attentive to his wife and started to feel guilty and decided he was going to change. So, on his way home from work he picked up a box of candy and a bouquet of flowers.
When he got home, he rang the doorbell and when she opened it, he began to sing to her of his love. Instantly she begins to cry and with big O’ fat tears running down her face she sobbed, “Oh, Harry! Everything went wrong today. We had a leak in the plumbing, the kids have been terrible, the house is a wreck, and now you come home drunk!”
My advice is to always begin with little steps, the big steps might get you in trouble.
d. An Encouraging Friend
Mary had a close friend who encouraged her. As Mary was expecting, she took a trip to see her cousin, Elizabeth, who herself was expecting through another miracle of God. And they encouraged one another for the next six months.
The Bible says, “Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13 NIV)
It’s easy to become discouraged when everything goes south for the winter, and you’re stuck in the snow up north. Mothers need others who will come and encourage them when everyone is sick, including themselves, but still she makes sure that everyone else’s needs are met. We need to encourage one another so that we don’t become hardened to God.
* Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t add to this list, prayer and God’s word. And it would seem that she indeed prayed, especially seeing her pray of praise in what is called the Magnificat. It starts out with these words, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” (Luke 1:46-49 NIV)
But for God’s word, that was something she would hear taught in the synagogue, but she would not have been allowed in the study of it as the males, because of that culture. But she knew a lot as seen in her prayer.
Now, I bring this out because as parents, we have these resources available to us. And in our culture and society, we have the freedom to own a bible and study it, which isn’t always the case in other parts of the world.
Conclusion
Mother’s Day is like a mixed bag. And I always come at it tentatively, because there are some here who have experienced the loss of your mother, or you may have had a poor relationship with your mother and somehow you wish you could make it right.
Or maybe you are a mom who has experienced the loss of a child, or you have rebellious children that are doing things you know will end up hurting them.
All I can say to you moms is hang in there, and let the grace and mercy of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit help you in this great task of being a mom.
Let me say it this way, learn to hold onto the Lord and hold onto hope.
I think about Hannah, who was unable to give birth, and was taunted by her husband’s second wife. But God heard her cry, and later she became pregnant and gave birth the Prophet Samuel.
And she offered up this prayer. “My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:1-2 NKJV)
God knows what you are going through, and He is always near and hears the prayers of His people. So, hold on to hope and hang in there.
And so, may the Lord bless all you moms on this special day.
