His Children have a Refuge

Mother's Day approaches and as women our thoughts often turn to the female influences in our individual lives. No matter the positive and sometimes negative influence in our lives, I dare say each of us has some idea our mother's lives were also impacted by both blessing and calamity as it speaks of in the book of Genesis, soon after the words of God that were spoken to Eve after the fall of man.



“To the woman He said, I will greatly multiply your grief and your suffering in pregnancy and the pangs of childbearing; with spasms of distress you will bring forth children. Yet your desire and craving will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”



There have been many theological dissertations on the subject of the fall of man and the curses that fell on men and women. My appeal today is not to the mind today but to the heart of those who find themselves female in this world. For many, like Father's Day, we find ourselves searching the card rack for a card that holds just the right message in light of the internal messages we've found tattooed on our hearts through the experiences of our mothers and grandmothers. Who crafts these messages that never seem to hold ALL of the realities of the rear view mirror look at our own upbringing? Haven't we all had occasion to say “this doesn't even describe my mother.” Whether we find them praising too highly or lackluster in describing our own maternal influence, we often find them falling short.



As I thought of my own mother and grandmother today, my mind seemed to drift to other mothers who still fight similar battles of life. I thought of the mother who …



Finds she is lacking the resources to make her childrens' lives more comfortable

Weeps for the wayward son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter in the wee hours

Struggles to understand the genetic disease her small child is facing perhaps for life

Discovers her husband, child or grandchild has a hidden addiction

Receives the unwelcome knock on the door or call in the night no mother feels she can bear

Surrenders her will to God when all else has failed in making a difference

Processes the failure of her own child and grasps for the heart to forgive

Feels powerless to put an end to the bullying her child is experiencing at school

Hides her own addiction behind closed doors and hopes her children don't learn of her weakness

Works multiple jobs to try to make the ends meet

Waits for months for her son or daughter to be on American soil again

Watches their child make mistakes both like and unlike her own

“Weighs in” day in and day out to satisfy the demon of man's acceptance

Takes the punch, the snarl, the shaking

Wonders when she'll really feel she is enough to go around



As I thought of the women in my life both by birth and friendship, I have lived long enough to know we have all been affected by those words in Genesis. Relationships were marred and mothering at its best has been forever changed by our first parents. But, thankfully, we are not destined to remain without hope as mothers.



I like to think of Ruth Graham when motherhood comes to mind. Her writings in The Prodigal and Those Who Love Them had such a deep impact on my life when I was praying for and believing God for a miracle in my son's life. It seems the wife of Billy Graham experienced all the tumultuous emotions of every woman born on this planet. She took a look back at mothers from much earlier times and found some solace in the words written by other women who were experiencing the afflictions and facing the disappointments and discouragement that come with being the givers of life.



While there could be much said about the thoughts I've shared here and those provoked by your reading them, my one hope is that we all might take the following thought from Mrs. Graham to our hearts.

I THINK IT HARDER, LORD

I think it harder,

Lord, to cast

the cares of those I love

on You,

than to cast mine.

We, growing older,

learn at last

that You

are merciful

and true.

Not one time

have you failed me,

Lord__

why fear that You'll

fail mine?

As Mother's Day approaches I encourage you to think on His faithfulness to you and your generations past. Surely, there was a mixed bag for every woman we have known and yet we can trace His hand of goodness if we but make that choice.



Choices....we make good and bad choices as mothers. Our sins and that of our mothers and grandmothers has had an impact on the innocent. How then can we move into the days ahead with more assurance and hope in light of all the distress and despair we experience on our journey here?

Mrs. Graham, like her husband, never failed to point to God's precepts, His presence, His provision, His promises and His power. It's in His Word, we find the comfort, the hope, the forgiveness, the peace and the strength to continue on as mothers and grandmothers.



No matter what we are facing as a mother this Mother's Day, I pray we can all hold onto these thoughts.



“O,that there were such a heart in (mothers ..my insertion) that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!”


Deutoronomy 5:29






“In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children have a place of refuge.”


Proverbs 14:26