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Mayy 22nd - 28th
Mother’s Day – a day of pleasure or agony?
How many of us would admit that today was a difficult day? I struggled with the devotional for this week and it is only now when the day is coming to a close that I can put my thoughts on paper.
As I listened intently to the message my Pastor shared with our congregation this morning, I heard what God says about mothers – how they are blessed as they focus and depend on Him when raising children; how vital it is that mothers cherish and encourage the gifts God has given them, and I found it strange after the message was over that not once did I think of my own mother, rather I thought about my daughter, Shelly.
Shelly sacrificed of herself for her husband and children. She rose early each morning – at 3:00 am to be at work by 4:00 or 4:30 am so that she could put in a full days’ work and be able to leave at 2:30 pm to pick up her three children, go home to start dinner, make sure home work was finished and checked, change clothes and hustle the kids out the door to baseball, softball, basketball, football practice or gymnastics. Her focus and that of Bobby, her husband, was the kids. Bobby and Shelly had many discussions about who was responsible for what and how the children would best benefit.
Silent sobs racked my body and the tears came in torrents as I sat in that pew today. You see God in His mercy took Shelly Home on August 7th of 2004. She was diagnosed with an inoperable brain stem glioma in September of 2003. This was our second Mother’s Day without her. And yet God is good all the time. He sent Bobby and incredible lady to be his wife and love his kids as much as she loves her own. Believe me when I say as a grandmother that she loves them as her own, I know because I see how she treats them. They tell me of their love for her and vice versa.
So this devotional is to honor you moms, those of you who are stepmothers or surrogate mothers or mothers in your heart even if you don’t have children. You have a very special place in God’s plan. I know the depth of love that a step-parent can have for a child. My husband, Roger, is Shelly stepfather but he could not have loved her any more had she been his own flesh-and-blood. The last year of her life, Roger and I took care of Shelly as Bobby worked to provide for his family.
There are many mothers who seem to lack the maternal instinct and can easily walk away from their child. I beg you – if you are tempted by Satan to give up your family for something that looks better than what you have, reconsider. Bobby said the night he told Cassady (in 2004, their seven-year-old daughter) that Shelly went to live with Jesus he could hear her little heart break as she cried out for her mom. God, in His infinite mercy, took Shelly Home where she is totally healed and no longer in pain, no longer subject to chemotherapy or steroids or shingles or staff infections or blood tests (even though her veins could not be found in arms incredibly enlarged from the steroids that kept the swelling down around the tumor in her brain). You see, little broken hearts can turn into bitter adult hearts. Please seriously think about the decisions you make for your children.
Matthew 18:10 (KJV): 10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 18:16 (KJV): 16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Children are precious to God, they are defenseless and dependent upon us as mothers until they learn to depend on their Heavenly Father. “Precious – handle with prayer.”
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