Showing posts with label Mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mom. Show all posts

Thursday, April 26

A Mother's Heart...Unmet Needs



Harried from too many tasks on her day’s schedule, she stumbled into bed, falling asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.

Rising in the morning, she had a strange feeling something wasn’t right, but she could not put her finger on it. Dismissing it, she hurriedly dressed and mumbled a few quick prayers.

With four kids, one husband, a slew of pets, and a busy calendar, she had plenty to do each day.

Throughout her day, thoughts of her weaknesses filled her head:

I wish I could handle my time better.
I wish I had more strength to meet all the challenges that pop up every day.  
Why can’t I forgive my best friend?
I wish I had more patience with the children.
I wish I had more joy and love.
Why can’t I ever be at peace?
I wish I knew how to handle my in-laws.
I don’t understand why I’m so agitated with my husband.
I wish I knew what to do about...

The thoughts hounded her all day. As she trudged through each hour mumbling her wish list, the uncomfortable feeling that something was wrong hung over her head like a black shroud.

Late that afternoon, she died. Upon entering heaven, she stood before Jesus Who greeted her with open arms. After falling at His feet, she felt His loving hand on her shoulder.

Helping her up, He took her hand and said, “Come with Me.”

“Where are we going?”

“I want to show you something.”

He led her to a beautiful building. Entering, they strolled down a long, endless hallway with innumerable doors on each side. Each door had a wooden plaque on it engraved with someone’s name. Jesus stopped at the door with her name on it and opened the door.

To her amazement, she saw row after row of stacked boxes, piled higher than she could see. Each box was stamped with a date of her life. She noticed that a few dates were missing.

“What...”

Jesus interrupted her. Knowing her unspoken questions, He answered, “Each box contains the necessities you needed for each day of your life, but you rarely claimed them. All you needed – strength, power, love, joy, patience, guidance – they were here all along.

“My Father and I would have given you everything that was missing, but you did not believe you could receive from Us. All was planned for you in advance of your need. If only you would have believed, you would have received and your days would have gone much smoother.

“A mother has many needs throughout her day. Most of all, she needs someone who knows her struggles, her frustrations, her weaknesses, and her tears. And that one is Me. I would be all to a wanting mother’s heart, filling her every need and every desire.

“If mothers would only call on Me more often, I would soothe their hearts and gladly fill them with My love, joy, peace, and patience. But they must come to Me and claim My help, otherwise the answers sit on the shelf, just as you see here.

“Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?”*

She awoke. Dazed, she shook her head as if that would help to clear it. I’ve been dreaming. It was all a dream! But it was so real.

In the early hours of the morning while still dark and the family slept, she went straight to her Bible and spent time with the Lord. As the sun birthed the day, the family arose and the daily schedule rolled on.

She went about all her chores with the Scripture echoing in her heart and mind, “Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe...”* She praised the Lord, claiming all He had for her every need.

“For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].” (Mark 11:24 Amp)


*John 11:40 Amplified

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Wednesday, March 28

A Mother’s Heart...An Intimate Moment with Mary


She stands at a distance. The sight before her pierces her heart as if thrust in by a javelin.

Her puffy eyes sting with tears, blurring her vision.

Deep sobs heave her chest as her heart pounds in agony.

The crowd jostles her, oblivious to her obvious pain, a pain so deep that no mother on earth will ever feel again.

What brings her to this gruesome sight? A mother’s love...


My son, she cries. Her name is Mary and her son is being crucified. Naked, exposed. Blood trickles down His face from the open wounds in His head when soldiers twisted a crown of thorns upon Him and out of every flesh-exposing lash He received earlier.

Each clang of the soldier’s hammer upon the metal spikes driven into her son’s body jars her whole being. She shakes with empathetic pain as they raise Him up and hang Him in place on the upright beam.

Memories rush through her mind of the child she once carried, of the One Who sat upon her lap and nestled against her. But another memory crowds those out; one she tried to lock away in a secret corner of her heart. Those prophetic words spoken to her after His birth, which now come back to haunt her, “And a sword will pierce your own soul, too.” (Luke 2:35 NIV)

And that moment finally arrived.

Now, greedy soldiers toss out dice to see who gets the bragging rights of owning the traditional garment she lovingly created for her son when he left home. The garment saturated with the perfumed oil of spikenard from the broken alabaster passion box.

She is exhausted from all that has happened to her precious Baby Jesus, the Son of God. Her body reacts to the dreadful stress causing her knees to buckle. But John, the disciple who had leaned upon this Divine Man so many times, stands close to Mary and shores her up.

Seeing His mother beside John, Jesus speaks in a weak whisper to her, “Dear woman, here is your son,” (John 19:26b NLT) as He nods to John. And to John, He says, “Here is your mother.” (John 19:27a NLT)

Moments later, all is over. It is finished, He sighs and gives up His last breath.

Mary wonders: what will it be like without Him, never again to embrace Him, to hear His infectious laugh, to see His ready smile?

Oh, what agony must have filled Mary’s mother-heart that day, probably never realizing the impact of that scene for the thousands of generations yet to come.

A mother’s heart...of love...broken. The greatest pain a mother will ever know, losing her child.

And the rest of the story?

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

“Amazing LOVE how can it be, that You, my King, would die for me!”

May your heart live daily within the rest of the story.




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