Time Brings Roses

Time Brings Roses

Isaiah 66:13 As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you;

What does mother mean?  Some believe it is to have given birth, and to others it means to nurture and love and bring up a child.  In fact, both thoughts are true, though the latter is the greater of the two.  Why, you might ask me?  Because scriptures teach us that God is the one whom creates new life.  So we actually only participate in the process that God has instituted, while He decides who, when and where a new life comes to being.

As I considered this day, and what it means to us, a rose came into my mind.  I thought about Jesus, and what he did for us, and things that he taught us, it brought to mind this beautiful rose.

You see, a rose cannot reach its fullest potential if planted in a small pot.  Though it may grow and even bud, it will never flourish and branch out and become a full bush with many flowers and leaves.  A rose bush must be planted in the earth, open soil, so that its roots can reach out and support many branches and blooms.

So a mother, though having given birth and even having raised a child to be a productive member of society, will not reach her fullest potential outside of Jesus Christ.  Though she gives her best efforts, her roots can only reach so far.

A rose planted in a small vessel will take root, grow a stem, a few leaves, and finally bud and show its beauty.  A woman within herself can also become a mom, raise her child and teach them the basics of nature.  God created the universe to operate in order and respect to his will.  We receive the benefits of God’s laws at work in this world regardless of our relationship with him.

But!!!

How great could your life be if you allow God to remove you from your small earthen vessel and settle your roots in his open soil?  Imagine the success you have had on your own in this world, and what Jesus could do with your potential.

I believe God’s idea of mother is a strong woman.  Someone who has many branches reaching to the heavens soaking in everything the Son has to offer her.  She will adorn herself with many colorful roses that reach out beyond visual sensory and release fragrant scents.  But, in turn, she will also have many thorns that stop those within her realm of influence of wandering beyond her teachings and wisdom.

Jesus made the comment who is his mother and brothers?  Those who follow after God’s word.  I can reflect back on every church God has planted me, and see those women who have branched out and taken in those younger as their own.  You can picture them also, teaching, encouraging, weeping, listening, and providing for, whatever is needed in any situation you can imagine.  There are some women in this room that fit that mold.   I submit to you that you are foundational in the church.  Without women like you, the body of Christ would not be what we know.  That is why God is no respecter of persons.  We all fit perfectly where God intended us to fit.

 You may be sitting here this morning and realize that you have been trying to grow and flourish through the years in a small pot, without the aid of the Spirit of God.  We have brought out the point recently that God allows us life until we have fulfilled our purpose in this world.  If you are sitting here today, then it’s not too late to be replanted into God’s will.  You have the opportunity right now, regardless of what you have done, to become the mother God intended for you to be.

Our text today says, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you;”

Sometimes we don’t understand a mother’s love.  We, being human, being male, don’t get the mentality of a mother and her unconditional love.  But, hey, sometimes we don’t even understand our own selves.  A mother has the instincts to go beyond sense to see to the welfare of her children.  Sometimes even to her adoptive “children”.  What we need to remind ourselves of is this: Satan blinds and distorts the vision of everyone he has the ability.  Without the Spirit of God in our lives, we have no hope.  Saul had nothing until God knocked him down, blinded him and talked to him.  Only then did his life make sense.  Now consider what God did for us.  Though we hated him, to the point of killing his son, God provided for us a way back into his presence.  So, the level of what God does for each of us goes beyond anything that a mother could ever do for her child.

So today we take time out to honor you, mom.  We love you so much for all you do.  We appreciate your spirit and drive.  We thank you for years of wisdom and experience.  We thank you for the times that you had to poke at us with your thorns to keep us from situations that we did not need to experience.  We love you so much for your beauty that goes beyond words or actions.  But even greater than any of that, we love you for your decision to serve God and to teach us his ways.  Praise God for mom!!!