9:45 p.m. Today's project was to teach I Samuel 23 to our faithful group of women who meet each Thursday morning for Bible study. We had quite a discussion as moms: how do we trust the Lord with our grown children, rather than trying to be amateur providences, opening all the doors for our kids, making their way as smooth and painless as possible, pushing them forward.
I shared about my experience with the Lord concerning our youngest son Steven (post of August 10), where the Lord made it impossible for me to help my son in even the smallest way, because HE had a plan to help Steven get to a job interview, and ultimately, get a job, yesterday.
We're moms, what can we say?! We pour our lives into our children, pray for and with them, and help them through their education and in shaping their life goals. We obey Deuteronomy 6: 5-7:
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
We lead our children to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation!
Sometimes we overstep our bounds in our zeal for the wellbeing of our children. And when our consciences are tendered by the Holy Spirit, we repent, confess and start afresh as the Lord leads. He loves our children more than we do!
Jesus was confronted (Matthew 20:20-23) by one of the pushiest stage mothers of all time, the mother of disciples James and John. Pay attention to this dialogue:
Then the mother of Zebedees' sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
And He said to her, "What do you wish?"
She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."
But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"
They said to Him, "We are."
So He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.
Most of us wouldn't have that kind of nerve! But Jesus stated calmly, with truth and a challenge: "You do not know what you ask." I suppose that we feel much wiser because we have the Bible in our hands, we KNOW who Jesus is, and are looking back to a mother in an unprecendented situation.
Embarassing as it is to admit, a tiny part of our mom-heart can identify with her--we may not want high positions and recognition for ourselves, but we sure have that desire for our children!
As in every endeavor in life, Christian mothers need to pray, listen to the Holy Spirit, immerse ourselves in the Bible, and let God lead us in our attitudes, words and actions concerning our children. We won't stop being Mom, but we can allow the Holy Spirit to make us a blessing, a quiet support, and let our children follow God and conduct their lives for Him without our "help!"
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