I think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, handpicked by God to bring the Savior into the world. If her biography were to be written today it might focus on just a few sensational details. A young girl becoming pregnant while still a virgin, engaged to a man called Joseph and unable to give a credible explanation for her pregnancy. These details while being unique, do not comprise the sum of Mary's life.
Mary also experienced the quandary of parenting, not unlike that of many mothers today. What do you do when your twelve- year- old disappears for three whole days? Then simply says, "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2: 49). And later when he leaves and is gone for a long time, you go looking for Him and He says, "Who is my mother ..." (Matthew 12: 48).
Parenting can be difficult indeed. But none of these difficulties compare to the excruciating pain of losing a child. Mary lost her Son to death - not just any death, but a horrible, humiliating death upon a cross. But even as she stood there in anguish, looking up at the broken body of her beloved Firstborn, the One she had for such a little time, she realized that He loved her all along and He had not forgotten her. He said to her, "Woman, behold thy son" (John 19 : 26), and gave her into the care of the Apostle John.
Have you experienced the heartbreak of losing your child? To drugs, a sinful life style or even to death? Whatever it might be, my heart goes out to you this Mother's Day. But know this. God has not forgotten you. Just as He gave His mother to someone who would take good care of her, just so by His death on the cross He has given you over to His Father who will take care of you.
Always.
If you have already given your heart to Him and believe His promises, you can take comfort in the fact that He will bring your children back one day. He says, "Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy" (Jeremiah 31:16).
As Mary stood at the foot of the cross, she must have thought she would never see her Son again, but that morning when the Holy Spirit descended on the occupants of the upper room, Mary was there to receive Him. Her Son was now in heaven with His Father, but He had sent the Comforter to earth to comfort her and everyone who needs His comfort. If you lost your child to death and he died in Christ, know that you will see him again.
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4: 16 - 17).
When I lost my daughter-in-law suddenly eight years ago, the verse above is one that brought me comfort. She was a God-fearing young woman and I know she died in Christ. If you are not sure if you will meet Jesus when you die, why don't you ask Him right now?
Dear Jesus, I want to be with You and my loved ones in heaven when that time comes. I give you my heart right now and I ask You to help me to live my life for You from this day forward. Amen
You can read more about Mary the mother of Jesus and other mothers in the Bible by downloading my book Women For All Seasons here.
2 comments:
Angela, I am very pleased you shared this article. It is uplifting and the reassuring of God's power to save. You showed there are many ways in which we can lose a child. I have lost my daughter, not to physical death, but to her choice of loving the world; (friends, negative influence, etc.) more than a desire to love God. I find comfort and rest on the promises of God that my prodigal will come to her senses and accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior. God Bless you richly.
Thanks for your comment, Vernita! I'm sorry about your daughter, but God has promised that as long as we train up our children in the way they should go when they are old enough they will not turn from it. I have two prodigals for whom I'm believing the same thing. Rest in His promises, my dear sister.
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