This Mother’s Day…
As believers, let us never forget we can rejoice and praise the Lord in both the good times and in the bad.
We all have so many hopes and dreams, especially for our lives and our children’s lives, yet often this world sends storms beyond our control and we can do nothing but simply watch as our course and the courses of those we deeply love are altered. Sometimes these changes are, in part, due to decisions we have made. Other times, they are just the result of living in a broken and fallen world.
Special days like Mother’s Day can be so exciting, a time to thank our mothers and be thanked as mothers, yet it’s also a time when sorrow can quickly invade. There are many circumstances, some of which I understand first hand, that have affected families, ones that cause days like today to be quite difficult. Regardless of time, wounds are often still present. But dare we never forget that even in the worst of storms, the sun still shines above it all.
Praise Jesus, because for the born again believer, there’s eternal hope beyond the temporal storms and successes, above the peaks and valleys of this world. Regardless of the tragedies, trials, broken hearts and even beyond the earthly successes, there’s a wonderful kingdom above it all. This heavenly kingdom is eternal and available for any and all who choose to receive the full and free forgiveness of Jesus Christ. “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believes on Me should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46.
Despite what we’ve been told, true life is not the sum total of all our expectations, experiences, hopes, and desires. Life is so much more than us. True life is Jesus Christ and no matter what storms come across our course, as Christians, we can still know victory because our God is outside and above it all. Jesus endured it all and laid down it all. He became sin for us, so we could finally be brought above it all to know what life’s really all about.
He became the lowest of all and then raised up to highest of all to provide the only way for mankind to receive Him as our All in All! Only because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection can we have true life, ETERNAL life! In John 17, Jesus reminds us, “And this is life eternal, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” John 17:3. The Christian life is not easy. In fact, it’s frankly impossible. Only Jesus lived it perfectly and only Jesus can live His life in us. True life is only discovered when we once and for all give Jesus the reins, letting Him lead us Home to our Heavenly Father.
But the old life I chose to mortify still knocks on the door of my heart and mind. It still wants to be appreciated, noticed, and coddled. It becomes jealous when anyone else gets the attention, most of all Jesus.The world, the flesh, and the devil will often remind us of the tragedies and fleshly triumphs, desiring nothing less than for us to lose sight of the Son above, all together forgetting about our risen Lord and Savior. And days like today can sometimes become grand opportunities for the flesh to come knocking.
Instead of opening the door, may I embrace the true Comforter, the Savior and sanctifier of my soul. May I take my eyes off myself and instead look intently at the only One I truly cannot live without. May I learn to embrace the difficulties this planet offers as opportunities to steadfastly grow closer to my Rock and Refuge.
The Lord has called us to so much more than we can ever comprehend this side of Heaven. May we take time to love Jesus today, worshiping Him in spirit and in truth. And then let us simply continue serving Him, letting Him take care of every outcome. There are perhaps many tragedies filling your heart today. May the Lord bring us above them all, empowering us to continue running the heavenly race He has set before us with joy and grace in our hearts!
May we simply abide in Christ, continually feasting on His wonderful Word. Then let us continue faithfully planting and watering His Word in all those He puts in our path. We cannot truly change the course of anyone, but we can point them to the only One who can. His light will shine, even piercing through the darkest of storms, and with it comes true life. What an absolute privilege and blessing to wholeheartedly love and follow Jesus, knowing He truly is above it all!
“Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12
“Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
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The Air We Breathe (Isaiah 40:31)
This is such a blessed promise of God, but it also serves as a very real reminder of how easy it is to run in our own timing and serve in our own strength. Often times, we tend to read this verse and get focused on us as the eagle, but may we never forgot that without the air, everything else is meaningless.
Eagles have a God-given instinct to utilize the warm updrafts to propel them upward and onward, expelling little of their own energy to travel. Interestingly, the currents are what dictate the timing and direction for the eagles. They must simply wait for the wind and have no authority over it whatsoever. Just as it is with an eagle, when running, it is the air that proves most necessary in going the distance.
The same air that propels eagles into an almost effortless flight also provides the oxygen necessary for the runner’s body to continue the race. The runner does not make the air, nor does he make the air work throughout his body. He simply must breathe. I’m sure many of us have experienced that dizzying sensation that occurs when our bodies just don’t have enough air. Left for too long, a lack of oxygen will not only bring about dizziness, but also effect the very thoughts and actions of the air-deprived individual.
Instead of enjoying the direction already provided for by the Holy Spirit, we so often desire to dictate our own timing and direction for the life we live. We not only want to control the effects, but also the causes and then wonder why we receive so little joy and peace from our Heavenly Father.
Let us remember the Holy Spirit is the breath, the air of every born again believer. He desires to daily and diligently direct our steps, supplying our every need! Jesus reminds us in Matthew 11, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus is our breath and life. It is in Him alone that we should live and move and have our being!
“The Spirit of God has made me and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4
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