A MOTHER'S LOVE

A mother's love is without comparison and the extent that a mother will go to make sure that the family is okay is beyond measure. Her duties never cease and through it all, she is a mother to her children, a companion to her husband and a worshiper to her God. What more can be asked of her? If she is a working mother, she is the hardest working member in the household. Normally, she not only holds down a job, she gives birth to her children, or adopt her children, and regardless of how they turn out, she is never free of them.

No language can express the power, the beauty, the heroism, and the majesty of a mother's love. During the Baltimore's riots, the nation and the world got to see, "a mother's love." In 2015 a mother had told her son to stay home, but the son decided that he would dress himself down and put a hoodie on his head and covered his face, and he went to the scene and threw rocks at the police. Although he thought he was in disguised, while his mother was watching television, she saw her son throwing rocks at the police. One look and she recognized her baby. Instinctively she looked into his eyes and knew that he was her son. Immediately something came over her. Instantaneously she thought about her baby becoming a casualty. Immediately, the loving mother kicked it up a notch. She went to find him in the crowd and the confrontation turned physical. She began the beatdown. The woman was caught on camera grabbing the boy and she started smacking him in the face. The dutifulness of this mother immediately was shown around the world. For the next few days different television shows invited her and her son to be interviewed. She was asked about being a hero. Her reply was that she did no more than any other mother would have done. After seeing this mother in action, no one can tell me that "a mother's love" never ceases.

My siblings and myself have had the privilege of experiencing "a mother's love." Our mother loved us unconditionally and profoundly. Our relationship with our mother deeply affected us. Although my mother was a strong disciplinarian, she provided much emotional intimacy. During my lifetime I have watched many mothers in action. I must testify that some mothers are kissing mothers and some mothers are scolding mothers, but at the end of the day their love is just the same, and most mothers are kissers and scolders all together.

Once a year we celebrate Mother's Day, but everyday should be Mother's Day. Mothers never can take a break or take a day off. A mother is the truest friend you will ever have. As soon as a child is born, the mother is also born. That which never existed becomes who she is. Of course, she was born a woman, but the motherly instincts never existed before the birth of the child. Now she takes on the responsibility of bringing a child into the world, and this changes her from what was, to what is. When you become a mother your thoughts are totally different. You are now a person who see things differently. You make many sacrifices for your child(ren). My mother was that loving mother who at times did not have enough to feed her children, but she would announce to us, "I am not hungry, you all go on and eat. I wasn't that hungry anyway." I remember when we didn't have shoes to wear, my mother scrape up enough money somehow, we walked downtown and she purchased me and my sister Cindy, some flip-flops. She didn't have enough money to purchase her some flip-flops, because she had to make a choice, whether to purchase her some flip-flops or purchase food for us to eat. She decided to purchase food, and she walked backed home, barefooted.

The Bible has some amazing stories about "a mother's love." Eve was the first woman God created on Earth, and she was also the first mother. She gave birth to Cain, Abel, and later Seth. When we were first introduced to Sarah in the Bible, her name was Sarai. God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations. This would mean that Sarah would become the mother of many nations. This was kind of hard to believe since Sarah was 90 years old and was unable to have children. One lesson we can learn from Abraham and Sarah's story is that there nothing too hard for God. Jochebed was the birth mother of Moses. She did not obey Pharaoh when he commanded to have every baby boy thrown into the Nile river. She hid Moses in her home and when she could no longer hide him, she put him in a basket and placed him in the reeds in the Nile. Moses was found in the Nile river by Pharaoh's daughter, who raised him in the Egyptian palace.

Oh, the power of "a mother's love." There are so many more biblical stories that displays the power of "a mother's love." I would like to expound about the faith of the Canaanite woman that can be found in Matthew 15:21-28. We are told that Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Jesus retreated to this coastal town far beyond the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas and well away from the Jewish leader who plotted against Him. This was a time to seek rest and relocation with the disciples and recharge away from the masses of people, who relentlessly hounded Him.

Jesus didn't just take a break, he left the country with His disciples in tow. For He desperately needed a break and whenever He tried to seek rest, the crowds would always follow Him. Dr. Richard Swenson in his podcast on Overloaded Lives gives us a very interesting commentary. He said that "it is important to understand our emotional reserves. It is important to understand how much we have at the beginning of each day and which influences drain our emotions dry." The point is, people and things can wear you down.

So we are introduced to a Canaanite woman from the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon who heard about Jesus and she decided to pay Him a visit. The Bible clearly tells us that she was a mother. We can surmise that this mother had tried and done everything possible and was grasping at the last straw. What she didn't do was give up. She was a heathen woman with no rights or connection to Jesus, but that did not stop her. Her daughter needed help. This mother is a picture of "a mother's love," not willing to give up, but willing to go to the extreme. She approaches Jesus first of all, humbly and respectfully. She cries out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Although she used the phrase "on me," she really wanted God's mercy to fall upon her daughter. She said, "My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."

Scripture tells us, "Jesus did not answer a word." Was Jesus being cold? Absolutely not! So listen to the response of the disciples, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." It appears that the disciples were totally unconcerned or maybe they just wanted Jesus to give her what she wanted and then send her away. After all she was a Syrian, probably a worshiper of pagan deities. Although her background does not help her, but there are points about her that are interesting. First she recognized Jesus as the "Lord." Secondly, she understood that He was the "Son of David." This is a clear reference to His identity as the Jesus that was the Promised Messiah. Thirdly, she acknowledged that she did not deserve His help and therefore she did not demand anything from Him.

Jesus' response to the cries of this mother was, "I was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel." But again we see the humility of this woman. She came "and knelt before Jesus." She said, "Lord, help me!" Jesus replied differently this time, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." Jesus did not use the common word for dogs, a term Jews often used to describe gentiles as filthy, mangy, wild scavengers. Rather, He used an endearing term that referred to a loved family pet. By doing so, He reaffirmed His Jewish-centered mission. These words did not discourage her, she simply replied, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."

Jesus recognized in this mother a faith that was ripen for growth. His reply to her was, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." Her daughter was healed that very hour. Jesus, the Messiah didn't have to go to heal her daughter, He spoke the Word and the demon possessed girl was healed.

What about the power of "a mother's love?" A mother's love is patient. This woman tried everything and everybody, but she was not about to give up. Her patience sustained her.

What about the power of "a mother's love?" A mother's love is passionate. We are able to see the passion of a mother who seeks the deliverance of her daughter from the clutches of Satan. She was the total opposite of her daughter, she was possessed with love where as the daughter was possessed by a demon.

What is so powerful about "a mother's love." A mother love is persistence. Giving up was nowhere in her thoughts. She was determined to find something or someone to deliver her daughter.

The power of "a mother's love." Providence. This was no chance meeting. The disciples needed to see the power of faith. This meeting had already been ordained by God.

I thank God for all of the loving mothers. My mother is deceased, but I think about her everyday. She was so kind, loving, and always attentive. My late husband's mother died when he was only three years old. He would always tell me how blessed I was to have a mother. He said that he could not remember what his mother looked like. I was going through some of his old papers and discovered this poem he wrote about her, and I would like to share it with you:

SLEEP ON MY MOTHER, SLEEP ON

My mother is a poem I will never be able to recite to her nor will I be able to write.

I think of her often, both days and nights.

I was just a babe, when she died, from that day till now,

darkness continues to stride.

What a delight it would have been, if she had lived and seen her baby boy preaching.

Though God chose to call her home, I still believe, in my heart,

that I am never alone.

So sleep on my dear mother, sleep on, till I am called home.

What a glorious time it will be, when we shall meet around the throne,

you and me all alone.

I will get to tell you about how lonely it's been without you in the home.

But if you are as wise as I think you are, you will probably tell me,

"though you couldn't see me it was me who kept you warm."

(Pastor Claude D. Porter, Sr.)

Now my husband is now in heaven and I am sure he is in his mother's arm, as Jesus wraps His arms around both of them.