(“Precious Memories”)
“…I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee…” (2 Timothy 1:5 KJV). Or, as the Amplified Bible says of this verse, “I am ‘calling up memories’ of your sincere faith…”
I read some time ago where a minister once stated,“We live in a time when motherhood is not so easy! Moms are expected to be great wives, great mothers,great business partners, great influences to society, and available for everyone! It is a demanding time to be a Mom!“
But I would like to ask this question: “Has there ever been a time when motherhood was easy?” I remember my Mother telling of when she was little (around 1920) and how several guests would often show up out of the blue at their family’s farm house for country Sunday dinners.
Grandma would kill a good number of chickens, and she and visiting ladies would then get the chickens ready for frying, plus take care of all the other food preparation. That included getting vegetables from the garden, cleaning, peeling, slicing, and then cooking on the wood stove. The children played outside until they were totally exhausted, while all the men relaxed underneath the shade trees, telling their oft-repeated stories as they, too, waited for dinner to be ready.
When it was finally time to eat, the men always went to the table first, where they continued telling theirLONG stories while they ate. The women and children went to the table only after the men were full and had left the table. I’m happy to say my Grandma always reserved plenty of fried chicken for all the children by secretly “storing” many choice pieces in the warming oven of that old stove.
Regardless of the era of time any ‘Mom’ has ever lived, and whether her work was done in a primitive fashion or is now accomplished through modern technology, a Mom’s time has always very beenVERY demanding.
Because of this great demand placed on them, it’s nice for Moms to have some time alone. This time may be nothing more than one “… shut in with God, in a secret place…” –– but yet a time much welcomed.
I’m reminded of the woman who visited the home of a friend. Upon seeing a playpen opened in the middle of the living room, the visitor joked, “How many of your children are you going to fence in this playpen?” With this, the other lady took a deep sigh and remarked,“None of them. It’s for me!”
Then, there was the woman who telephoned a friend and asked how she was feeling. “Terrible,” came the reply. “My head’s pounding. My back and legs are killing me. The house is an absolute mess, and the kids are driving me crazy!”
In very sympathetic tones, the caller answered,“Listen, I want you to go lie down this very minute. I‘ll come right over and cook dinner for you and for all your family, clean your house all over and take care of your children, while you get some well-deserved rest.–– Oh, by the way, how is Sam?“
“Sam?” the complaining housewife asked. “Myhusband’s name is not Sam. Who is this?“ Being quite embarrassed, the caller exclaimed: “Oh, I‘m terribly sorry! I must have dialed the wrong number.“
A long pause then came on the line, only to be broken when the stressed housewife finally uttered a deep sigh and asked ever so hopefully, and with great plea in her voice: “Are you still coming over?”
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote: “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.~ Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. ~ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:5-7).
The very mention of Lois, Eunice and Timothy, as found in this verse, is a powerful message even for today’s Christian home. This Biblical account represents three generations and vividly illustrates the strong spiritual power which motherhood has from generation to generation. And even though Timothy was a convert of Paul, much credit for Timothy‘sprogress in the Gospel and his ‘unfeigned faith‘ is given to his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice.
Someone once expressed her thoughts onmotherhood with these words: “I shall not mind the whiteness of my hair, or that slow steps falter on the stair, or that young friends hurry as they pass, or what strange image greets me in the glass, if I can feel, as roots feel in the sod, that I am growing old to bloom before the face of God.“
Godly Mothers deserve to be honored. Not just on one special day of the year, but every day. And that recognition should involve more than mere words. It should be shown in respect, thoughtfulness and loving deeds. But as we think about our Moms, it’s difficult not to recall other special words relating to her bylooking at each letter of the word: “Mother.”
When looking at the word “Mother,” most everyone would describe their Mom in different ways. My Mother is now with the Lord, but from the time she raised me until the time I took care of her later in life, I saw in her the following:
M –– Meekness, and one Making Melody in her heart
0 –– Overworked, yet always thinking of Others
T –– Trust, Tenderness, and many Tears shed for her family and church
H –– Holiness in her Christian stand, and Helping Hands toward others
E –– Enthusiasm in serving the Lord, as well as great Endurance
R –– Rejoicing Saint of God, and great Respect from family, church family, as well as from friends
That was my Mom! What does your Mom mean to you?
For many of us, one particular “Red Back” CHURCH HYMNAL song will undoubtedly come to mind as we think of Mother’s Day, and that song is, “Precious Memories.”
From the very beginning of this song, we’re reminded of those “Precious mem’ries, unseen angels, Sent from somewhere to my soul; How they linger, ever near me, And the sacred past unfold.”
This song is certainly one that can cause you to wipe a few tears from your eyes when you think on those now with the Lord. But let us not forget what the Word of God has to say about other things also called“precious.”
We dare not forget how “Precious in the sight of the Lord IS the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15). With many of my loved ones now rejoicing in Glory, I sure don’t sit here and grieve for them, for as one Gospel song says, “I’ve got more to go to Heaven for than I had yesterday.”
“Unto you therefore which believe HE is precious…” (1 Peter 2:7).
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments” (Psalm 133:1,2).
“How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them” (Psalm 139:17).
But, THE most “Precious” of all is told in song written by Bennie S. Triplett. He tells so eloquently of THE One so wonderful to the Child of God: “When I feel disheartened, forsaken, forgotten, JESUS is precious to me. In ev’ry condition, He is my Physician, JESUS is precious to me. ~ JESUS is precious, He is so precious, JESUS is precious to me; He is my Savior, Lord and my Master, JESUS is precious to me.”
Triplett then shares more of This One so “Precious” to the Child of God:
· He’s comfort in sorrow
· He’s hope for tomorrow, JESUS is precious to me
· He’s all that I pray for, what more could I ask for, JESUS is precious to me.
· It’s not earthly treasure
· It’s not worldly pleasure, that seem so important to me
· And though I prize friendship
· And praise God for kinship, THERE’S NO ONE SO PRECIOUS AS HE.
Both of my parents are now with the Lord, and while their remains are buried in graves not too far from my house, the real “them” is not found buried beneath six feet of soil. Our loved ones are rather rejoicing in the hills of Glory and are walking (and even running) the Streets of Gold.
Yes, you and I will have many precious memories as we recall happy times with our loved ones here on earth, but something far MORE precious will be known for the child of God when we reach Heaven and see JESUS and those loved ones face to face.
And you talk about a meeting in that Land when we see our Moms once again! Those Moms, the ones who stayed on their knees in prayer, day and night, for all their children and grandchildren, will be rejoicing There like you’venever seen them shout before.
Mother’s Day will be another time when we’ll ‘call up memories’ of our Moms, but there is so much more waiting for the Child of God rather than just “memories.” “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19).
IF you are blessed to have your Mother still with you, I hope you’ll tell her how much you love her and appreciate her while you can. Even though I can no longer tell my Mom these things face to face, I do try to “tell” her of my love nearly every day, for my love for her continues. In fact, I’ll say it once again here: ‘To Opal Lloyd, I say to you again, “I love you dearly, Mom!” ’
And, to all the Godly Mothers everywhere, we give you our “thanks” – and we send our love, gratitude, and appreciation! “HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!”
–– Bill
