Not every woman has been called to be a mother! God has chosen some women to fulfill that position as a natural part of their life, and others He has not for what ever reason. This is certainly not to be consider a blessing for some ladies and a curse for others, for God has given various gifts and purposes for each of us. And for those woman who are not called to be mothers in a biological sense, there is still the wonderful blessing of adopting children. No matter the circumstances each of these situations has been implemented by the Lord for the good of His creation.
Growing up in a home where there were six of us children, I can only imagine the immense weight there was on our mother to take care of us and provide for our well-being. My father worked away from home for days at a time, so that left the brunt of the responsibility for our care with our mom. As I look back to my youth, I am ashamed to say that I did not realize nor acknowledge the many sacrifices mom made for us kids. In retrospect I have to admit I took it all for granted.
God commands us to honor our fathers and mothers in the Fourth commandment. And Jesus referenced that commandment a couple of times during His earthly ministry. In John 19:26-27 we see the great love Jesus had for His mother as He looked down on her and spoke these words from the cross, “Woman, behold, your son!” And then He said these words to the disciple whom He loved that was standing nearby, “Behold, your mother!” Even at the point of excruciating pain and nearing death Jesus was deeply concerned for His mother. What an example of love He showed to the rest of us when it came to honoring and looking out for His mom!
Can you or I begin to imagine what Mary must have gone through as she saw her dear son being ridiculed, beaten, and then nailed to a cross? Yes, we know Jesus gave His life as the ultimate sacrifice and show of His love for His Father and us. And most certainly, the Father showed His great love for us by giving His only begotten Son that through Him we might have eternal life. But let us not forget the unbelievable pain Mary endured as she watched her precious son suffer and die for the sins of all mankind including herself.
God bless mothers for they are a gift from the Lord! And they have been placed into a special vocation called motherhood! Pastor McCarty