Momma’s Heart

Children are a gift from God. Except sometimes we Momma’s think they belong to us. They pull at our Momma’s heart (hard sometimes), but they are ours to raise (to the best of our ability), to invest in and to teach them about Jesus. Then they have the free-will to choose to give their lives to the Lord, to serve, to follow and to live for Him.

As Momma’s we love when our children do what we think is right and best for them, and when they don’t the wrestling match begins. However, when our children become teenagers and adults they sometimes make different choices than we think they should make. (Of course I am not speaking from experience . . . hahaha)

The challenge we face as parents is allowing our kids to make mistakes and letting them learn from them – just like we did many years ago (and we still do!). I think the even greater challenge comes when our kids make difference choices when they hear the voice of God and act on it . . . and we weren't part of the conversation! Sometimes God is speaking to our kids and He didn't get the okay from us first. And I know some of our Momma’s hearts are shouting, “We should be part to of this conversation! They don’t like broccoli! How are they ever going to survive in ??? (fill in the blank)

Whether we dedicated our children to the Lord as young ones or once they were older, we need to remember they are His – entrusted to our care . . . for a time. Our job is to guide, direct, offer council, but our voice and opinion should not be louder than God’s. Our job is to teach them to listen to the voice of God.

It is God’s job to speak to them and their job to listen to Him.

Often this time of year does strange things to this Momma’s heart. The end of the school year, summer holidays and a change in schedule. However, I’m finding myself at the stage in life where the public school system no longer dictates our lives and our adult children begin making significant decisions on their own.

There’s another shift happening in this Momma’s heart . . .

Last year God began speaking to me about my Momma’s heart. He asked me to deal with my Momma’s heart so He can call our kids to great things. And then He asked me to pray for the Mom’s and Dad’s and Grandma’s and Grandpa’s so they can release their kids . . . so God can call them to great things.

Weighty, but exciting.
Emotional, but thrilling.
Heavy, but needed.

The question I’ve had to answer is, who do I think I am? Yes, I’m their mother, but that’s all – nothing more and nothing less.

• A sinful child of God saved by grace - just like our kids.
• A redeemed child of God who strives to live her life to bring Him glory - just like I desire for our kids.
• A woman who wants to do great things for God in my circle of influence - just like I want for our kids.

As I look into the mirror of my soul I say to myself, "Trust God with them. He loves them more than you ever can. He cares about them more than we can fathom. He loves them enough to send Jesus."

This past Easter I read the crucifixion of Jesus and saw it from a different perspective – Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was there! Mary WATCHED as her son was beaten, flogged, humiliated and crucified. She watched helpless, unable to stop it, feeling the wrenching of her heart as she watched her son. I don’t know how big the nauseating knot in your stomach is, but I wonder, as a mom, could I stand there and watch? Helpless, powerless, vulnerable to the swirl of things going on around her. Could I look at the evil acting out against my son? Could I look into the beaten face of my child and still stand? How many of us could do what Mary did? She was there for the whole thing!

Does a Momma’s heart ever recover from seeing her child crucified? I don’t know, but Acts 1:14 says, “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers." (NIV) I'm not sure, but I think praying and being together together certainly helped.

Today, we likely will not stand at the foot of the cross like Mary did, but we may stand over an early grave, or the foot of a hospital bed or behind the handles of a wheel chair – and in the midst of whatever situation we find ourselves in, will we deal with our Momma’s hearts so God can call our kids to great things?

Sometimes that’s to scary countries. Sometimes it’s to questionable circumstances. Sometimes it’s to financially challenging places. But the question always in front of us is will we daily deal with our Momma’s hearts so God can use our kids to do great things for His kingdom?

Jo-Ann