Mother's Day - A Twist for You

Being Mother’s Day upcoming, my advice is love your mother while she is with you. There will come a day when she is not, and her care will have to be entrusted to another.  In remembering my own mother, I put my mind back to Jesus and his mother and the scenes of Jesus’ birth and ultimately His death.  “Mary Did You Know,” a popular song is reflective of these happenings.  It is also an important thing to note, that Jesus left the care of His mother to his disciple John.

John makes a change in his life that is worth noting, in order for this event to happen.  It is significant that John is introduced is a typical fisherman, yet as with his brother prone to anger issues (Mk.3:17; 9:33-40’ Lk.9:51-56).  He also had a degree of covetous pride that would show itself occasionally (Mt.20:20-28; Mk.10:35). So the question is, what changed in John over a period of three years, that would make him at the cross, someone that Jesus would entrust the care of his mother to.

It is a significant thing, that Jesus taught his disciples that He did not “come to destroy, but to save (Lk.9:55,56). This would require John learning restraint of his temper and control of his ego in order for him to learn this.  Significantly, Jesus told his disciples that they would not be like the world and would behave differently (Mk.10:43), because they would march to the beat of a new commandment (Jn.13:34,35). The fact that John internalized this teaching is seen in his own writings and epistles.  1 Jn.2:24-28 is an example, where we see John emphasizing obedience and control, love, humility, and unity. The John of these epistles is not the John of the gospels. He is a changed man. A man that would be one of Jesus’ closest and most endeared disciples, enough that Jesus would entrust his mother to this man.

What does this have to do with Mother’s day? 

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1.    Love your mother while she is with you and you with her. Jesus did this and the scripture is filled with passages that provide commentary to “honor your father and mother.”
2.      John shows us that you can change and what changing for the good bring about in your life. He teaches us in 1 Jn.3:18 to love with our actions as well as the words of truth.
3.     That we transcend living as in a world of death, to a life of true living when we learn how to love and show that love to others (1 Jn.3:14)
4.      When we learn to help one another (3 Jn.8) then as Jesus said of Himself,  Matt. 12:50  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

So, honor your mother today. Mend fences if they are broken, it will be worth it.  Change your life and you  might just find that the world is a better place and the people around you appreciate that change.

Jim

When The World is Falling Apart!

"Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!   Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven..."

Lamentations 3:40,41

There are days when life seems as though it is falling apart at the seams. We all want to know what we can do different, do over, what we can change to make things better.  We CANNOT change the past, nor can we change what HAS been done. You can’t change your parents, family, children. They are who they are and you are who you are.  You can’t change the gifts and talents God has or hasn’t given you. You can’t change a handicap you’ve been given. You can’t bring back someone who is dead.  The fact is, there are a LOT of things about life you cannot change. Peace in the midst of troubles can be found when you accept what you can’t change. Otherwise, you’ll make yourself and the people you love miserable. All of this said, there is  something important you can change: you.

The prophet Jeremiah, about 20 years of age, in the 13th year of King Josiah (Jer.1:2; 25:3), in the year 627 BC. He was active in this capacity from this time on to the destruction of Jerusalem which occurred in 586 BC. Even after the fall of Jerusalem,  he prophesied in Egypt at least for several years, so that his work extended over a period of about 50 years in all. The most devastating period of his life was when Jerusalem fell, during which time he wrote the Lamentations. To that, the verses quoted at the beginning of this article was a reflection of a breaking heart spoken about things that he could not change. His sentiment? Lamentations 3:40: “Let us examine our ways and turn back to the Lord”

We can't change the past, but we can change the present. Jeremiah's reflection shows that if he could have gone back and changed something that would have prevented Jerusalem's destruction, he would have. The same for us, we all lament when things go awry, and in wondering what we can change or what could we do; ask yourself what’s happening  in your life that doesn’t line up with what God wants? After all, God can see what we can't, and can do what we can't. To re-order your life God’s way, it’ll take some deep self-evaluation of every area of your life. You’ll need to take a look at your relationship with God, your spouse, your kids, and your co-workers. You’ll need to look at hurts, habits, and hang-ups that may be bringing you down. Nothing can be off limits in this. We cannot sugar coat this, and it is not and will not be easy. You WILL find things you don't like, and there are some things that as Jesus said to cut out of your life. It’s always tough to turn from sin even when it’s tearing us down.

Healing apart from repentance won't happen. When your world is falling apart, you can’t change everything — but you can change you. At times, that can mean everything.

What can you change right now that will make a positive impact on yourself and others? Ask yourself the hard questions about your priorities, relationships, and secret sins as you try to change your world.   "If you hear the message and don't obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror and forget what they look like as soon as they leave.   But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don't just hear and forget. (Jas.1:23-25)."

Jim