"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Matt. 13:44
Most moms ( and dads) I believe when looking into their new born's eyes see part of their image or treasure worth sacrificing for. I believe Jesus could see the treasure in all of mankind or His image that inspired Him to joy, tears, compassion and His destiny here on earth.
"To them He also presented Himself alive after His passion..." Acts 1:3 ( passion translated suffering or death in later translations) Mel Gibson did a good job conveying Jesus's humanity at the Garden of Gethsaminie. In his humanity, He did not want to go through the degradation and agonizing death He could forsee. In His godhood though, He was chopping at the bit to get to the climax of His destiny here on earth and fulfill His long awaited desire in restoring our relationship with God the Father claiming back the deed to our souls. The stomping of the snake's head with His heal was a good visual picture in driving that point home. What motivation did he have to go through all that for you and me? In part, I have already answered that. My bigger quest is understanding the motivation with my heart and not my mind.
Having had children, I better understand the concept of one being made in one's image. Looking into their eyes, it makes it very easy to love them and sacrifice for them. It's easier to have a shephard's heart for them than my neighbor but that has been slowly evolving as I grow in God's love and grace along with those ambassadors he has put in my path. Since college,
I see more of the treasure or His image in people changing my thinking, judgements and actions toward them.
I encourage you to go back and read some of the valentine wishes sent to Mom or comments made. People see something in Mom (an image) that they are attracted to and which motivates them to action praying for her fervently. But it's more than Mom representing some characteristics of God or kind deeds she has done for you. What good is that? Even the heathens do good unto one another.
".....and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, SO THAT THE LOVE WHEREWITH YOU LOVED ME MAY BE IN THEM, AND I IN THEM." John 17:26 Imagine having the love of God that He put into His son also being put into us.
Most of you that have read these updates have had something put in you to one degree or another.....God's love, by Himself and other sons and daughters of God. Some of you have had a taste of it but have been choked out by the desires of self and the world. To know God's love for you and to have it demonstrated to you by Him and others satisfies and quenches the soul like nothing else can.
The singing group, Twila Paris, has a great song that sums this up nicely. The song is called, "Destiny". Here are some of the lyrics:
Buried in the heart of every child of his creation,
Is the deep desire for which we seldom hear the words.
As each poet sings of searching for his own salvation,
Once again the common drum is heard,
Beating out the question only honest and courageous hearts will answer........will answer......
Do you know Him? This is your destiny.
To not hear the words of God is a curse that distracts you from destiny. To not experience His love by Himself and His sons and daughters is a curse that distracts you from destiny. To not be able to see His image in others to motivate you to actions of love is a curse that distracts you from destiny. The Church's response to Roe vs. Wade among other cultural norms is evidence that the Church has not maybe lost the ability to see the treasure or God's image in others totally, but certainly has a warped view of it and has been distracted from it's destiny.
My siblings and I have been blessed to come from a Christian heritage, be raised with it, and still enjoy it's presence that is very much appreciated and needed. Being Mother's Day, I particularly offer my thanks to you, Mom.
My Mother's Day prayer, Mom, is that God would restore your health completely. Regardless, I pray for you as you continue the Kingdom impact you have on all those that know you due do the love put into you that has been invested in them.
My Mother's Day present, Mom, is simply my life.....one that will hopefully continue to bring honor to you and therefore God also. There's good and bad. The bad, I take full responsibility for though Christ has paid the debt. The good, I give credit to you and others that have poured out their "passions" in me.
My Mother's Day hope is that all of us would increasingly see God's image or treasure in others so that they would experience this "passion" that led Christ to sacrifice and die on the cross. Some will accept it......some won't. May the Spirit of Elijah again return preparing people to embrace this "passion". Mal. 4:5,6
My Mother's Day wish is that mankind's heart would soften to accept this seed of "passion" from God and His sons and daughters. Rom 8:19