by The mother’s heart had an overwhelming sense of warmth and love as she held the new precious bundle of joy. This new birth was such a miracle of God. The small infant was totally dependent on her for everything.
As time passed by, the baby grew into a young child. The child started doing things on his own. Mother was not needed for everything now. The child grew into a miniature adult – though not an adult yet. The young adult ran with friends and spent less time with Mom. Mother’s heart felt a new loneliness she had not felt before. What was this feeling of sadness? She tried to keep herself busy – but above all – she cherished the precious moments she got with her precious child – the young adult.
Soon, as time would have it – the young adult grew into a real adult and left home. The new adult started his own life and occasionally called home. Mom would run to the phone for a few brief moments of delight to hear her child’s voice and laughter. Above all else, she desired and cherished these invaluable moments in life.
The adult started his own family and the calls and time spent with Mother grew even less. Mother felt all the years of worry and stress age her body. Most of all she embraced the lovely memories of the years spent so close with her child – especially the memories where she mattered most in his life. She wished they were closer, but life has a way of moving on. She wished to step back in time, but that is not a thing you can do with time. It just keeps going forward and forward.
As I think about this story and the lonely heart of a Mother who longs to spend time with her children, I think of God’s children and started wondering, “How often is God’s heart lonely because of our lack of interest and time spent with him?”
When people are first saved, they have such a joy about all the wonderful things of God. They love everything about church, the Bible, etc. But, sometimes – as life moves on – Christians move away from God. It is natural for children to grow up, move out, and start lives of their own. However, it is not good for Christians to get saved, have a love for the things of God, but move away from God as time goes by.
Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
Here are a few simple thoughts about the parent/child relationship that we can apply to our relationship with God.
- Adult children grieve their parents when they do not call.
- Adult children grieve their parents when they do not spend time with them.
- Adult children grieve their parents when they are not interested in the things that are important to the parent.
Let’s relate this to our fellowship with our Saviour.
- As an adult child of God, when is the last time you called God? When is the last time you prayed? I mean really spent some time in prayer. How often do you pray? Once a day? Once a week? Only when you have problems? Are you grieving the Spirit because you haven’t called in a while?
Like a Mother who longs to hear from her adult children. God yearns to hear from his children as well.
- When is the last time you spent time with God? When did you go to church? Read your Bible? I mean really studied God’s word and got something out of it to help you through life?
Luke 10:41-42 “And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Like a Mother who longs to sit with her adult children and do things with them like enjoy a meal or a day out, God yearns to spend as much time as possible with his children.
- Okay, here is the tough one. When is the last time you showed a deep-down interest in the things that are important to your Heavenly Father? The Bible is full of things from cover to cover that are important to God. Are they important to you? For example, like living a holy, separate life in this wicked world?
II Chronicles 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
Like a Mother who so desperately wants her adult children to take an interest in the things that are important to her. Like knitting or listening to her years of wisdom that could help them through difficulties. God years for his children to take interest in the things that are important to him and put there to help them through life.
These are just a few thoughts God laid on my heart this past weekend for Christian Ladies to evaluate their relationship with God and make sure they “grieve not the holy Spirit of God” but to be like Mary who “hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
