Luke 2:19 “… Mary treasured up all these
things and pondered them in her heart”As mothers, don’t we treasure up all kinds of things about our children in our heart? The day they were born isn’t just the beginning! We treasure up the moment we find out we are pregnant, the ultrasounds, the baby showers, then that marvelous day they are born! First feedings, first poopy diapers, first night at home, first night to sleep through the night, first sitting up, first foods, first time crawling, walking, talking, first day at pre-school, first day at school, and it goes on and on and on! Isn’t it comforting to know that Mary treasured up things about Jesus as well! As much as he was the Messiah, he was also Mary’s son that she bore, that she cared for, and that she loved so much!
In her heart
and mind she was making a mental scrapbook of the promises that were made when
she became pregnant with Jesus. She made note of the angel that told her she
would become pregnant with the Son of God, she took note of Joseph’s reaction,
and the reaction of everyone else. She placed in her heart the long journey to
Bethlehem being so pregnant. Few of us
today would even think of getting on a donkey for 5 seconds especially not
going to happen if we were 9 months pregnant! Yet she made the journey. And then to find no room in the inn and being
a part of such a humble beginning for the Prince of Peace! But none of that mattered when she held Baby
Jesus in her arms for the very first time!
As mom’s we sometimes feel insecure by God having trusted us with a
small person to guide through this life, but how many more doubts could Mary
have about raising the Messiah!
Then when Jesus
was 12, Mary and Joseph could not find him upon coming back from a trip from
Bethlehem! Think of the fright she must have had! Do you think she might have
said something like this “Oh Dear God, I have lost your son! Why did you ever chose me to be his Mother, I
am so unfit!” I felt that recently when
I lost my son for 5 minutes in a large Spring Break crowd at an amusement
park! But I found him as Mary found her
son and everything was alright!
Then it was
Mary who God used to jump-start Jesus into the ministry. At a wedding when the party had run out of
wine, Mary goes to Jesus and asks him to do something and Jesus’ reply is that it’s
not his worry and his time has yet to come!
But Mary didn’t take that as an answer and instructed some servants to
do whatever Jesus asked them to do! Then
what did Jesus do? He made wine in a
miraculous way like his mother asked and therefore started his ministry career
after the prodding of his own mother! Oh
how we have to prod our children on a daily basis to do the things to get them
going. Waking up the kids in the morning
is coming to mind as one of those prodding moments to get them going in the
right direction! Getting them focused on homework, chores, time with the family
and time with God is a lot of prodding! Oh how God uses mothers to get His children
motivated to do His work! What a very
important role God has chosen us to do!
And as much as
Mary treasured up those things about Jesus, and we treasure up moments about
our own children, we also treasure up the words Jesus spoke, the miracles He
performed, the love he showed, and the sacrifices he made for us! But oh how much more precious and heart
breaking these things must have been to Mary!
On this
Mother’s Day spend some time reflecting on the ultimate mom, Mary! When you are feeling overwhelmed with all
your duties of being a mom, take some comfort in knowing that at least you do
not have to raise the Messiah! Mary did
that and she is the only one that could write a book on “Raising the Perfect
Child” but it is interesting that although we may have thought it easy to raise
Jesus, she did forget him in Bethlehem and took a few days to find him and she
did have to prod him into ministry! So
take comfort in knowing that even if you believe your child to be
perfect (even though he/she is not), you are not and will have some parenting
difficulties based on you being imperfect! God uses mothers to help guide their
children (even THE Perfect One, Jesus) and often will use us to set His plans
in motion for our children! Seek God out
every day to see what it is He would have you do in the lives of your children! How blessed we are to be called “Mom”!
Happy Mother’s Day!!!
