2022-03-27
John 19:26 NLT
Today is Mothering Sunday. A day for us to tell our mothers how much we appreciate everything they do, as well as being an opportunity to say thank you to anyone who loves and cares for us like a mother does. The Bible tells us numerous times to honour our parents, listen to them, and treat them with respect. But instead of thinking about those verses, let’s take a look at a time when Jesus honoured His mother, Mary.
In John 19, as Jesus was dying on the cross, He saw Mary and the disciple John standing below, watching. ‘He said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home’ (vv. 26-27 NLT). Jesus was being crucified; He was in unimaginable pain. But in the midst of His ordeal, His thoughts were for His mother, and to ensure she would have someone who would love, care and provide for her. Nailed to a cross and dying, Jesus did the simple but deeply loving act of asking Mary and John to become mother and son to each other. And that’s something for us to think about today as we celebrate and honour mothers.
Maybe for whatever reason you can’t give your mum a gift or see her in person. It doesn’t matter why. Just do something simple and powerful, from a loving heart: take a few minutes to pray for her and to thank God for her. And even if things haven’t been easy between you, remember that God’s at work in the situation, you just need to pray and allow Him to do the rest. Let’s make today a day when we really show what God’s love means by honouring and praying for our mothers and those who care for us.
1 Sam 17:4-51; Eph 6:10-18
Ephesians 6:2 NKJV
There is no assignment on earth that requires the array of skills and understanding needed by a mom in fulfilling her everyday duties. Stop and think about what her job involves. She must be a resident psychologist, doctor, theologian, educator, nurse, chef, taxi driver, fire marshal, and occasional police officer. Try to imagine what it would cost you to go out and hire all those skill sets. And even if you could, how would you know you could trust them?
Go ahead, join Mom on a midmorning visit to the pediatrician’s office. After sitting for forty-five minutes with a cranky, feverish toddler on her lap, she and her baby are finally ushered into the examining room. The doctor checks out the sick child and then tells the woman with a straight face, “Be sure you keep him quiet for four or five days. Don’t let him scratch the rash. Make certain he keeps the medicine down, and you’ll want to watch his stools.” “Yeah, sure, doc! Any other suggestions?” “Just one. This disease is contagious, so keep your other four kids away from him, and I’ll see you in a week.”
The amazing thing is that most mothers would get this job done – and they would do it with love and wisdom. That’s because God made them good at what they do. And He gave them a passion for their children. They would, quite literally, lay down their lives to protect the children entrusted to their care. And that’s why they are deserving of our admiration – on Mother’s Day, and all the other days of the year. So the word for you today is – “Honor your… mother.”
Soul food: 1 Sam 17:4-51; Eph 6:10-18
Efesiërs 6:2 NLV
Daar is geen opdrag op aarde wat die verskeidenheid vaardighede en begrip vereis wat deur ‘n ma benodig word om haar alledaagse pligte na te kom nie. Stop en dink wat haar werk vereis. Sy moet die inwonende sielkundige, dokter, teoloog, onderwyser, verpleegster, sjef, taxibestuurder, brandweerman en by geleentheid die polisieman, wees. Dink wat dit jou sou kos om al hierdie vaardighede te huur. Selfs al kon jy, hoe sou jy weet dat jy hulle kan vertrou?
Gaan in die middel van die oggend saam met Ma op ‘n besoek aan die pediater. Nadat sy vyf-en-veertig minute met ‘n moeilike, koorsige kind op haar skoot deurgebring het, word sy en die baba uiteindelik by die spreekkamer ingeroep. Die dokter ondersoek die siek kind en sê dan met ‘n reguit gesig vir die vrou: ‘Maak seker dat jy hom vir vier of vyf dae stil hou. Moenie toelaat dat hy die uitslag krap nie. Maak seker hy hou sy medisyne in en jy sal ook sy stoelgange moet dophou.’ ‘Reg so, dokter! Enige ander voorstelle?’ ‘Net een. Hierdie siekte is aansteeklik, so hou jou vier ander kinders weg van hom af en dan sien ek julle weer oor ‘n week.’
Die wonderbaarlike ding is dat die meeste ma’s hierdie werk gedoen sou kry – en hulle sou dit met liefde en wysheid doen. Dit gebeur omdat God hulle goed gemaak het met wat hulle doen. Hy het hulle ook ‘n passie vir hulle kinders gegee. Hulle sal, letterlik, hulle lewe vir die kinders wat aan hulle sorg toevertrou is, neerlê. Dis hoekom hulle ons bewondering verdien. Die woord vir jou vandag is dus – ‘Eer jou… moeder…’.
Sielskos: 1 Sam 17:4-51; Ef 6:10-18
2022-03-26
Revelation 21:5 NIV
In the book of Revelation, John wrote: ‘I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is… among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true”‘ (v.2-5 NIV).
As redeemed children of God, we’re assured of having an eternal home in heaven and the promise of being citizens of ‘the new Jerusalem’. John continues, ‘The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city’ (v.15 NIV). The city is a square of about fourteen hundred miles (see v.16 NIV). As a rough idea of its size, imagine a square stretching from London all the way across Europe to Russia’s western border, down to the Egyptian and Libyan coasts, then back up to London. It’s approximately twenty-one times the size of the UK, or ten times the size of France. And that’s just the ground floor! It’s as tall as it is wide; six hundred thousand storeys high. That means there’s more than enough room for billions of people.
We may not know all the details of what heaven’s like, but we can be sure that if we believe in Him, God has a place there for us.
Job 29-31; Luke 20:1-8; Ps 38:13-22; Pro 8:24-26
Revelation 21:5 NIV
John the revelator wrote: “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is… among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true'” (vv. 2-5 NIV).
When an atheist died and his friends filed by his casket, one of them remarked, “How sad – all dressed up and nowhere to go!” Not so for the believer! As a redeemed child of God, you’re assured of a home in heaven and citizenship in “the new Jerusalem.”
John continues, “The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city” (v. 15 NIV). The city is an exact square of about fourteen hundred miles (See v. 16 NIV). It would stretch from the Carolinas to California and from Canada to Mexico. It’s approximately forty times the size of England, ten times the mass of France, and bigger than India. And that’s just the ground floor! It’s as tall as it is wide; six hundred thousand stories high – more than enough room for billions of people to come and go. So here is the question: When you die, will you go to heaven?
Soul food: Job 29-31; Luke 20:1-8; Ps 38:13-22; Pro 8:24-26
