It'll be a beautiful day, but is this all that it's about? Is Mother's Day, a day only to honor our earthly mothers or be honored ourselves? Or is a day, another day we get to give thanks to God for His inexpressible Gift of Christ (2 Cor 9:15)? It's a tough question even for me to answer because like everyone else, I like to be praised, applauded, honored, appreciate and noticed. I like being made to feel special. Don't we all?
About four years ago when I was in the midst of nearly daily doctor's appointments and serious and painful tests, I prayed to the LORD for help and He led me to a faithful sister in Christ, Rachel Barkey. Rachel, a wife and mother of two young children, fiercely battled breast cancer for more than four years. Only a few months prior to her last speaking engagement (below) Rachel bravely, soberly and realistically shared her view of the cancer God allowed to ravish her body, but not her spirit bound in Christ.
With precious and appropriate humor, and real tears and frustrations of leaving her young family, Rachel shines the life of Christ even as she walks down the valley of the shadow of death.
She requested this speaking engagement to be videotaped so that her young children will be able to see and hear her message to them—know God, know yourself, know the Gospel and know your purpose.
This is truly a woman to be praised. A woman who lived and faced death desiring only to bear the image of Jesus during her short time here on this earth.
On Mother's Day, the greatest honor I desire is for the Lord Jesus to be praised and for His life to shine through me and be evident to all. After all, what greater gift can a mother give and live before her children than a faith that saves (James 2:14)?
This is truly a woman to be praised. A woman who lived and faced death desiring only to bear the image of Jesus during her short time here on this earth.
On Mother's Day, the greatest honor I desire is for the Lord Jesus to be praised and for His life to shine through me and be evident to all. After all, what greater gift can a mother give and live before her children than a faith that saves (James 2:14)?
"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the fruit of hands, and let her works praise her in the gates...I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me...Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him..."
~Proverbs 31:30-31, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:8-9 (ESV)
My precious sister in Christ, Rachel, whom I never met in person (but look forward to meeting when I get Home) fully demonstrated the above Scriptures. I pray that I too may live and leave this kind of legacy—a legacy of faith in Christ, a faith that saves and not one that just makes people feel good.
Whenever the Lord brings this precious sister to mind, please pray for her family who still misses her; especially on special days like tomorrow.
Whenever the Lord brings this precious sister to mind, please pray for her family who still misses her; especially on special days like tomorrow.
