Monday, May 9, 2011

Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, and May In Between

May is a month of honor. Starting it off, on Sunday, May 8, we observed Mother’s Day. Wrapping it up, we have Memorial Day on Monday, May 30. And in between, a new group of women will be immersed in a class I am teaching based on my book, “Who Do You Think You Are.” The common theme in all of these? God’s abundant love for each one of us.

On Mother’s Day, I could see God’s bright smile on mothers everywhere. No mother is perfect, and no mother is expected to be. Instead, she is called to a life of love. Through our heavenly Father’s sweet presence and strong Word we are equipped for the task at hand. And by His grace He fills in the gaps.

Moms of young children and moms of adult children know so well the words of 1 John 3:18, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” A mother’s words impact us, of course, but it’s the consistent love she demonstrates in her actions day in and day out that shapes us. By her example we see a reflection of God’s posture toward us—arms wide open, eager to embrace His children.

Memorial Day is a national holiday in America allowing us to give tribute those who have given their lives in service to our country. As we consider the great, bold sacrifice our troops have made for us, we thank God for the privileges afforded us here in the land of the free. And we pause to thank Him for the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross, purchasing our freedom from sin and death.

In between May’s two “M” holidays, you have a month of days lying wide open in wait. You can let them slip by without nary a second thought. Or you can approach them intentionally, eager to embrace God’s love and be a conduit of His love in others’ lives. I hope the latter for you, and for all of the women in my “Who Do You Think You Are” class. May God’s great love fill us to overflowing, that we might spill over with it into others’ lives in a tangible, intentional way.

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).











No comments: