Tags
1 Corinthians 2:2, 1 Peter 1:19-21, Colossians 1:27, Ephesians 1:4, Faithfulness, Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 1:2-3, Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 4:2, John 17:24, Moms, Philippians 3:13-14, Philippians 3:8-10, Psalm 139:13-17, Romans 8:28-29, The Cross
Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.13 Mothers And The Cross???
A Repost Edited from 2013.
A happy Mother’s Day to all-whether you be the mother or the child!!! What a beautiful day to celebrate our mothers—and to celebrate The God who created us all-mother and child!!
“In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.” Isaiah 4:2
And Isaiah also wrote:
“And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,
which shall stand for an ensign of the people;
to It shall the Gentiles seek:
and his rest shall be glorious.” Isaiah 11:10
These verses have a double reference, referring to the future time of the Lord’s return, and also to His “ensign” of the cross. We can take comfort and delight in the joy of the Lord today. Our Lord who is beautiful and glorious and, I am convinced, soon returning, He who blesses us day by day in more ways than we are aware of!!!
I pray that you took some time to spend with your mother today, or at least spent some time in reflection of her if she is no longer with you; and whether you have/had the “perfect” mother or if you have less pleasant memories—God gave each of us the mother He planned and we can trust Him. Psalm 139:13-17 reminds us that God knew everything about us—everything!
“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!”
Consider the commonality of God and Mothers. Both made sacrifices for us!!! Consider and know that God IS—Jesus the Son IS—and God the Holy Spirit IS!!!!! They are and always were, and without the sovereign, eternal, omniscient God of the universe we wouldn’t even exist.
“Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by he word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high”. Hebrews 1:2-3
God IS the creator who brought us into existence, and we know that although we sinned, HE had already planned for our redemption before the world was founded!!! I find that amazing and am reminded that not only did our mothers give us birth, care for and provide for us, but I am also reminded of the GOD who “created” us, provided for our salvation and cares for us continually, through Calvary, and HE is the same God who gave us mothers! So, whatever your childhood experience, whether good or difficult, God has always been, and continues to be there for you!!!! (see Hebrews. 13:5). He gave HIS own Son for our salvation, and Jesus came, lived and died that we might spend eternity with Him!
“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24
Jesus confirms His own pre-existence before the world was made (also see Col 1:16 & John 1:3 which clearly reveal Jesus as “Creator”) and scripture tells us in several other places that our salvation was planned before we needed it!!!
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” Ephesians 1:4
And Peter wrote:
“But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” 1 Peter 1:19-21
As the Dennis Jernigan song says, “I belong to Jesus”!!! He loved us and gave Himself FOR us. Do we truly understand that Christ Jesus gave His all for us at Calvary? When we do, I think we will be able to say with Paul,
“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2
Depending on the Cross for our life, breath and being, helps us to live our lives with HIM in mind, as we find in Galatians 2:20:
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
When we are born into a family, we take on the “name” of our family! When we are “Born Again” we take on more than the “name” of our heavenly family, we actually receive the Holy Spirit of God who continually conforms us into Jesus’ likeness.
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Philippians 3:8-10
Always reminded that “I am crucified with Christ”, knowing that God is ever working in me. And much like our mothers were teaching us when we weren’t even aware of it, God is always at work in HIS own!
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:28-29
God is ever at work, by His Spirit within us (Remember Romans 8:9b, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”), and we can trust His work– ever conforming us into the image of The Lord Jesus!!!
As we think today of our Moms, may we also spend each day appreciating The Lord who created them and us!!!
“…… this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14
May we commit ourselves anew and afresh to “press toward the mark”; taking our confidence from Colossians 1:27
“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”
Christ is our eternal hope, His Spirit our total supply, and God the Father our complete confidence. Praise HIM for giving us “Mothers”; but even more that HE GAVE US HIS OWN SON, for our salvation on the cross!! May God bless you with joy and grace for this coming week’s work for His kingdom. Thank YOU, Lord, for mothers!