Thank God for Mothers!

"I have been reminded of your sincere faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded, now lives in you also." 2 Timothy 1:05

It was Sunday morning and his son had not yet been presented at the breakfast table. She had tried to climb the stairs shouting: "Wake up and get down here!" But there was no response. Finally, up the stairs and opened the door to the room of his son and said: "We must rise and dress. It's time to go to church!"

"I do not want to go to church," her son complained of under the covers.

"You can not give me one good reason not to go to church, so get up!" Replied his mother.

"Actually, I'll give you three reasons. Number one: it's boring. Number two: people are gossipy and critical. And number three: nobody loves me. So why do I bother?"

"I'll give you three reasons," replied her mother. "Number one: the Bible says you should go. Number two: you are 45 years. And number three: you're the pastor! Now get out of bed and dressed for church!"

Where would we be without the tireless insistence of our mothers to do the right thing? Across the United States this weekend, the flowers will be delivered, homemade cards will be given, and mothers celebrated Mother's Day. And it is right to do so. I know of very few roles that such demand unconditional perseverance, selfless commitment and that of motherhood.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul pauses to acknowledge the impact that a mother can have, mentioning Lois, Timothy's grandmother, and Eunice, his mother. Paul's mention of these women is interesting because he, personally, could claim a major influence on the spiritual journey of Timothy. Paul called his spiritual son (2 Timothy 1:6, 1 Corinthians 4:17, Philippians 2:22) and not only Timothy had been included in mission trips, but there were numerous tasks entrusted to him, including grazing growing church in Ephesus. It is clear that Paul had spent much of his life in mentoring and helping to make Timothy capable and useful.

But Paul readily and willingly acknowledged that the seeds of Timothy's faith were planted by these two women. We know very little about Lois and Eunice, but our imagination can imagine young Timothy to pray, teaching them simple stories of Jesus and the life-changing truths of the Word of God and submit to the early church leaders. We all know that motherhood is a difficult task, but the rewards to faithful moms is great. Think about how the mother and the grandmother of Timothy must have felt to see him blossom as a leader in the work of Jesus!

I know for sure that my character and faith has been shaped and molded by my mom. I will always be grateful for his influence in my life. It has been a privilege for me to see how my wife, Martie, has impacted the lives of our children, and now our grandchildren. So this weekend, I'm excited for the opportunity to celebrate the important role of our mothers.

Because let's face it, where would we be without them? We will listen to the mothers!

YOUR JOURNEY ...

* For some, Mother's Day brings pain, perhaps the pain of a fractured relationship between a mother and her son, the pain of losing a loved one, or the pain of unfulfilled longings for motherhood. Psalms 34:18 offers these compassionate words: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit." Jesus knows and understands your pain and is willing to not only grieve with you, but to bring peace and hope soft.
* If you're a mom, how to stimulate and excite you to know that you can play a key role in the lives of their children (and grandchildren)?
* Take a moment to thank the Lord for your mom, then make sure to thank her mother specifically!