Remember Mother’s Preparation, Patience, and Prayer
2 tim 1:5 unfeigned faith ... faith works by love ... real faith is timeless
Proverbs 31:25; James 1:4; Matthew 15:28
1. Mother’s Preparation [education]
My mother dressed me and at just the right moment in time, Origen’s mother did the opposite.
Origen (184—253 AD) who had argued with whoever would listen for “religious freedom.” in a difficult time for Christians. His argument was clear that Christianity will not owe its victory to coercion but to the power of truth. He explains how Jesus draws men to Him rather than forces men to Him.
In Origin’s teens, his father Leonides and many other Alexandrians were imprisoned under the persecutions of Emperor Severus (192-211). The impetuous young Origen (without thought or care) was ready to follow his father into prison, but his mother hid all his clothes. His father and others were beheaded and had their properties confiscated. Because of his mother’s intervention, instead of as a martyr, Origen left his mark as a genius who produced a body of over 6,000 works that laid a firm foundation for Christian theology, apologetics and homiletics. I am no genius as Origen and yet I can relate to Origen in having a mother who was my biggest cheer leader and through her many and various interventions I was guided and shaped. Amid the many beautiful praises heaped on the virtuous women of Proverbs 31 is this one: Proverbs 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
Luke 1:29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. Lu 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. [keep closely; the preserve the memory of; meet with ] – Astounding, fearful things, she “met head on” Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. The testimony of Mary was harmonized by that given by one of her children, James: James 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James is mentioned a couple of times in the Gospels, but at that time he was not a believer (John 7:2-5). James becomes one of the earliest witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7). The glory of God’s salvation in James was in part through preparations of his mother’s own patience.
Two times we have recorded during Christ’s ministry of Him commending someones faith. One was to a Centurion who required that Christ only “speak the word” and that would suffice. Mt 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. The second occasion was that of a canaanite mother’s pleading for her daughter (Matthew 15:22-28 Mt 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. (Speaking on the Canaanite woman’s faith)2. Mother’s Patience [her love his genuine]
CONCLUSION: Sister Christine Amelia Gibson, May 9, 1954 (71 yrs ago):
- Are we going to let God commend us?
- Are we willing to let God put us through the test,
- the test of patience, and devotion, and humility?
- He's looking for folks that will let Him.
- If we let God have His way in our lives in the coming days, I am sure the very same commendation that He gave that woman, He'll give to us.
- great is thy faith, be unto thee even as thou wilt.”
No Comments