"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching..." Matthew 3:1
Good morning, dear friends!
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| Photo: rainermaiores pixabay public domain |
I guess I am not very different from any other mother, when I say, I have the smartest, funniest, most beautiful, most talented, most put-together kids on the planet. I'm sorry to disappoint all of you other mothers out there, but this is the truth, from my chair.
Of course, from your chair, it is the same perspective, just with your children.
After all, isn't that how it should be? Shouldn't every mom place her greatest expectations in her children, and expect great things from her children?
Imagine if you knew, from their birth, exactly what those great things would be. How different my perspective my child-raising would be, if I truly believed every day, with every decision and every choice that I faced, that my children were going to be used greatly by God in a specific and unique way!
Elisabeth knew from her God, all about the great things God had in store for her son John, before his birth.
What a humbling, exciting, and challenging assignment she was given by God!
Here are some thoughts that the Lord impressed on my heart as I was rereading her story today:
Elisabeth was an ordinary woman, with extraordinary faith. Like many others in the Bible, Elisabeth had humble beginnings, and probably never even dreamed of the amazing plans that God had in store for her! Her life may have been ordinary, but her faith was extraordinary. The Bible gives a glimpse of her testimony: "And they (Zachariah and Elisabeth) were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." (Luke 1:6) What an amazing testimony!
She was older, and probably very settled in life. There was a burden on her heart--no children--that she could not do anything about. She knew her body was past the age of having children. This is did not shake her faith in God. Then, one day, Zachariah left for the Temple as he had other times in the past. Everything was normal...until...the angel, the vision, the silence...and her world was turned upside down! She didn't even have the assurance of the angel personally, but trusted in her husband's word (and the fact that he couldn't speak!) and in her God. What joy she must have felt, knowing that the Lord had seen her deepest desire, her heart-felt plea, and had done the "impossible" for her to have her son! As the angel assured Mary, Elisabeth's cousin, "For with God nothing shall be impossible!" (Luke 1:37)
Elisabeth did not try to keep her son from obeying God. My children are still young, and I have not yet had the joy and heartache of sending my children out into the world to fulfill God's plans for their lives. I have, however, heard many testimonies of mothers who, instead of letting their children leave to carry on God's work in the different corners of the world, placed obstacles in the path of their children's obedience. This was certainly not the case for Zachariah and Elisabeth! Not only did they encourage John to follow the Lord, they did not hold back at all in their training of him to do God's will. If there is any doubt, read Zachariah's first words after he was able to speak in Luke 1:67-79. Now there's a prayer of dedication for a child! I am sure that Elisabeth's extraordinary faith rubbed off in this young man, because of the last verse in Luke chapter 1: "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit..." Instead of discouraging her son from obeying God, she did everything she could to encourage his faith.
Obeying God's will for our children is not always easy. There were certainly blessings in store for Zachariah and Elisabeth, as they raised young John to fulfill God's purpose in his life. At the same time, there were also sorrows in store for them as well. For example, the fact that John was born to them so late in life meant that they were probably not able to witness much of his adulthood. In fact, there is no guarantee that Elisabeth was ever able to see her son fufill God's plan in his life! There is no indication that John ever married or had any children. Elisabeth never had the joys of being a grandma to her son's children. The path that God had traced for her son John was also not an easy one. He physically lived a difficult life, without many of the comforts of his day. His message was not an easy one, either: his task was to prepare a hardened, rebellious, oppressed people for meeting the Saviour! He did not even live until old age, but was beheaded and martyred for his faith and obedience. Had Elisabeth known fully what was in store for her son, would she have held him back? Would she have tried to encourage him to follow a different path in life? Thankfully, as a mom I do not know all the Lord has in store for my children, but I know that my God is faithful to sustain them through life. Raising my children faithfully, and letting them go in God's hands, is as much as I can do for my children. This Elisabeth did, and though at times it was difficult, she did not waver.
How can I let Elisabeth's life and faith encourage me as a mom today?
I can trust God to be faithful, even when I do not always understand the circumstances I am facing, in my life or in my children's lives.
I can pray that my children find God's way in service, and do all that I can to encourage them in that way.
I can put aside my own desires for their lives, and encourage them to seek God's will today in the little things: prayer, Bible reading, obedience, and Godly character.
I do not know what the Lord has in store for my children. He alone knows, and I should not stand in His way. His way is perfect. What blessings are in store for my children, and for me, if I will only trust Him today...
Up tomorrow: The Mother of All Blessings
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