Mother's Day

     I am a little late posting about Mother's day, but every day is a day in which a mother's heart is filled to overflowing with pride toward her child, so I do not think it is too late to write a tribute to Mothers.
      As I was reading in Luke about the birth of Jesus, I thought about Mary.  The Bible tells us that all who heard the Shepherd's story about the birth of Jesus was astonished, but His mother,  "Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often."  Isn't that what most mothers do?  We mothers remember the birth of our children.  Their instant presence in birth fills our hearts, and we can only imagine the pain of the death of a child.  In Mary's case, as Jesus was hanging on the cross, I am sure her heart felt as a "sword piercing the soul."
     Further in scripture, I read of the missing twelve-year-old child when Jesus' parents were returning home from the Passover festival.  It took them three days to find Jesus.  When found His mother asked, "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."  Again, as a Mother with a missing child, Mary wanted to scold Him, but more than that, she wanted to hug and hold Him close.  During the time Jesus was missing  I am sure Mary was frantic with worry and her heart felt as a "sword piercing the soul."
     When Jesus responded that He was about His father's business, Mary although she did not fully understand, was filled with pride and "kept all these sayings in her heart."   In other words, she was probably like most mothers who keep a scrapbook of happenings and images of our children. 
     Mothers represent love and most want nothing more than to see their children safe, well, and happy and, in turn, most children want the same for their mothers.   
     To take this theme a step further, as much as mothers love their children, Jesus' love is so much greater.  He freely died on the cross for us all, but He made sure his mother was taken care of as he was hanging on the cross, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother...When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!  Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!  And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."   
     The link between a Mother and her child is profound, but more than that is the link we have with Jesus when we accept Him as our Savior.