GOD'S LOVE, A MOTHER'S HEART

The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
Psalms 115:14

I am the mother of seven chidren and I was a stay at home mom until my youngest child reached the tender age of five and went off to Kindergarden. Up until that time, I was a mom that made five to seven course meals for my husband and children almost every day. I baked cakes, cookies and made homemade rolls that my family loved. I sewed my children's clothes and gave them daily Bible Study and prayer. It was extremely important to me that my children understood who God was and learned His ways. I tried to teach my children to live in the blessed realm, understanding that God was extremely concerned about their lives. I watched my children increase in everything they put their hands to; whether in their school work, sports, musical talents and spiritual knowledge. I knew that as God increased me, that He would also increase them.

I thought my children would always trust and lean on God, but as they grew into their later teen years and adulthood, some of them made decisions that made my head spin. I couldn't imagine that my sweet, precious, children would ever consider life choices that were against what they had been taught. But, here was reality right up in my face. I thought to myself, I have obeyed God's Word and walked upright before them, but here we are in a place that I thought I would never be in.
There is no heartache like the heartache of a mother who is disappointed in the choices of her children. Their desire to be like the world made me sick to my heart because I knew the strategy of satan. Only God knows how many tears I have shed over my children's actions. At some point, God had to bring a few things back to my rememberance and that is, my ways have not always pleased Him. I had to come to the realization that when I was young, I had made decisions that differed from Jesus' will for my life. My ways broke His heart; my rebellion showed blatant disrespect for His Word and yet He still loved me. After I got my hands burned by the world, God gently guided me back to His fold. I shudder at the things I have done in my life and I marvel at the love God had for me to open my eyes to His truth. What a marvelous, compassionate, faithful, forgiving God we serve.

Even as born again adults, many have strayed from God's ways and He tenderly draws us back to Himself with a cord of love. He knew that we would stray and would try to find a way to do our own thing. Sometimes, we are dumb enough to think that our ways are ok to Him because we "got it like that with Him." But, like the prodigal son, we come to our senses and realize that holiness is the best life.

My children are all grown now and are parents themselves. Their faith is increasing more and more, because of the things they have been taught and have experienced. They remember what they witnessed as children, but more importantly, they are making their own faith lessons with God. They are teaching their children the same things their father and I taught them. I chuckle when they call me and tell me something their children have done that disappoints them, or is not what God's will is for their children's lives. I tell them to teach, train, discipline and love their children and they will eventually become the man and woman, God has ordained them to be.

When I had my firstborn daughter, I was caressing her at the doctor's office for her first visit, when a lady said to me, "when they are young they step on your toes, but when they are old, they step on your heart." So true, so true. As a mother, I have come to know love as never before. There is nothing my children can do to stop me from loving them. Yes, I have been hurt by their actions but then, I think, if they knew better they would do better. Spiritual maturity plays a major role in our actions. When one of my children was going through a very difficult time in life and I, his mother could not help Him, I had to turn it completely over to God. The Lord had a woman write a song that blessed my heart and I heard it again recently on TBN. Listen to it if you are going through a trial with your child and remember, forgive them if they have gone astray, as Christ has forgiven you. Let them know that they can always come home to you and that will truly make them understand that they can always get it right with God. His heart is awesome and is waiting for us to receive His invitation of love.

God's love is far greater than the love of a mother. His desire is to increase each generation in His truth and knowledge more and more. Just as God has increased me in greater revelation, so is He increasing my chldren and grandchildren. I praise Him for what He is doing in my grandchildren's lives. He is doing the same in your life and the life of your children and grandchildren. Each generation will be blessed because of His love for us. He has unconditional love for us and He says that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Jesus, while on the Cross, said, "forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." Spiritual maturity will cause us to reflect on our actions because evil choices disappoint God and seperate us from Him; holiness draws Him to us. God's plan for mankind is to remember the sacrifice of His only begotten Son every year. This Resurrection season, meditate on God's goodness and forgivness and His vast love for you and your children.