Mother's Day My eye is on you

• Mothers Emulating the Father by keeping their eyes on you Mothers-we all have or have had one • Which mum puts her baby in a basket to save him? • (Yocheved) Exodus 2 • Which mum prayed for a baby while she visited a temple? • (Hannah) 1 Samuel 1:10 • What mum saw her son die on a cross? • (Mary) John 19:25 • Name the mum of John the Baptist? • (Elizabeth) Luke 1 • Who was Joseph’s mum? • Mothers-we all have or have had one • Isaiah 66:13: "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you." • Isaiah 49:15: "Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?" • Luke 2:51: "And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” Mothers nurture • Nurture means to care for and protect (someone or something) while they are growing. • Nurture is a synonym of nourish-both are derived from the Latin verb nutrire, meaning "to suckle" or "to nourish." See also nutrient, nutritious, nutriment, nutrition • Incorporates supplying nourishment, fostering development, educating, upbringing. Nurturing mothers raise hopeful daughters • Mothers are a baby’s greatest joy. • When a mother match emotions with her child it duplicates the mother’s emotions and brain chemistry showing him/her the way back to joy • This builds hope. • Hope is grown by linking mother’s minds with the baby while still he is still feeling terrible –this is played out every time the mother brings the child back from negative emotions Hopeful daughters raise emotionally healthy children • Without this process the baby’s capacity for hope may well be destroyed for life Prov 13:12 • The strength to feel feelings when combined with path back to joy builds hope resilience, confidence and a lack of self centredness • Self centredness is avoiding anything that gives me a bad feeling • Lack of self centredness means children can take risks and think of others- function becomes mutual satisfaction not just completing a task. Jesus the great nurturer • Ephesians 5:29 Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church. • Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. NAS • I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. NJK • I will instruct and teach you about how you should live. I will advise you as I look you in the eye. NET Our response-Keeping our eyes on Him • Ps 32 :8-9 I hear the Lord saying, “I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life. I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide. So don’t make it difficult; don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make me tug you and pull you along. Just come with me!” • Isaiah 41:10 Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God. The eyes have it • Ps 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. • Ps 44:1-3 We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish.3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. What a blessing • Numbers 6 :24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."’ • That is, metaphorically, making eye contact with God. • 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” Correct focus • Daniel 9:3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. (So I gave my attention to the Lord God NAS) • 7 “Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. • 13 ……we entreated not thy face, O Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and think on thy truth. yet we have not made our prayer before {panim or paneh m(paw-neem') face,} the LORD our God, Jesus nurtures Peter • 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me (agapáō means actively doing what the Lord prefers, with Him, by His power and direction). always defined by God more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”(phílos warm affection in intimate friendship) • Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love (agapáō )me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 Love-intimacy and His preference • John 21:15-17 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me (agapáō means actively doing what the Lord prefers, with Him, by His power and direction) more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”(phílos warm affection in intimate friendship) • Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love (agapáō )me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love (phílos )you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” No wonder Peter spoke of a living hope • 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love (phílos )me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love (phílos) you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” • Notice the nurture-loving correction by a fire. • With the correction came hope and future Moving forward • We have been nurtured so we have a living hope • Our love -agapáō of the Lord is to spread this love (feed His sheep) • This love stems from our philos love of the Lord • This must be from a place of living hope • Rekindle your fireside chat with the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth • Always keep your gaze on Him.