Mother’s Day

Exodus 20:12: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.“

This is one of the commandments that the Lord has given to us with a promise attached to it. If we will honor our Mothers that our days will be long on the earth. The Lord is telling us that if we want to live a long life then we are to honor our mothers, but not just on Mother’s Day.

I once heard the story of the great Baptist Preacher Dr. Jack Hyles. He was raised in a two-room shack that had a dirt floor. His dad was an alcoholic that drank up what money they had. Dr. Hyles said that many times they would not have anything to eat but he said that in one of those rooms they had a make shift kitchen and there was a pantry and all it had was a sheet hanging over some shelves. He said “when we had nothing to eat we would see our mother behind that sheet,” he said “we could see her feet and we would hear our mother praying and it wouldn’t be anytime that we would here a knock on the door, good will with some groceries.” He said “while my sister and I ate my mother would dance around the table praising the Lord.”

Susanna Wesley is another great mother, she gave birth to 19 children in which 9 of them died. She went through two house fires, and her husband was away for two years. But even through all the difficulties she has been called the “Mother of modern Methodism” because her two sons John and Charles Wesley. The amazing thing about Susanna Wesley was that in raising her children she set aside time every day to teach each one of them. Each child had a day in which she would spend time with them to educated them. 

I believe when we get to Heaven and the Bema Seat of Judgment takes place, that there will be many great women who will be recognized that never wrote a book and never preached a sermon. They were just faithful to the calling of being a mother and tried to bring their children up in the admonition and nurture of the Lord.

In this day that we live when a woman is asked what she does for a living and she replies that she is a home maker, there is a sense to some that she has not lived up to her ability and station in life. But I don’t believe that, and I believe for a woman to be faithful to the calling of being a mother and raising up children that will stand for Jesus Christ is the greatest calling a person can have.

Pastor Lee Cruse, that I hope on this special day as we honor Mothers, that you will go to your mother and let her know that you love her and appreciate all the things that she did for you. Like when there were five of you sitting at the dinner table and there were only four pieces of chicken and all of a sudden, your mother lost her appetite. 

Now, it may be that your mother has passed away like mine, say a special prayer for her, I believe that the Lord will convey that to her.