Day Twenty Seven
Honored By Her Family
Proverbs 31:28-29...Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her, [saying]...
Many daughters have done virtuously, nobly and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness], but you excel them all...
To Mum...from Petunia
...her children rise up and call her blessed...
My mother is 71 (2003) years old and has more energy than most young adults. She is industrious, hard working, generous and full of love for others. Yet, one of the most exciting things about my Mom is watching her submit to the hand of the Father, as He fashions her in the image of His Son. We love to say things like that, don't we? Oh Lord, make me like You...I want to reflect Your Son...You are the Potter and I am the clay. But when the rubber meets the road and it is time for the flesh nature to die, our nature that wants its own way, and the choice of obedience is staring us in the face, what do we do? Oftentimes we give in to what our emotions or body is yearning for, making many excuses, and continue to go our own way. And the fruit shows.
At 71, Mom chooses to bow her heart to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. She bows her heart and will in submission to His will and His plan. And that means allowing the fleshy parts of her heart to be circumcised. What a painful thing that can be...what a glorious fruit that is borne as a result.
Psalm 92:12-15 says...The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible].
Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God.
[Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure or [trust, love, and contentment],
[They shall be living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises. He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
In the midst of the belief that getting older means illnesses, medicine, nursing homes, loss of sanity and vitality, this scripture proves the promises of God to those who will continue to walk in His will and in obedience to His Word.
Psalm 92 stirs my heart because I am actually watching God's Word unfolding, as it is written, in my Mom. As she chooses each day, to bow her will in submission to God, He changes her. As he changes her, and His Spirit leads her, she speaks, encourages, witnesses, teaches and gives of herself to others...being full of spiritual vitality. And it bears much fruit. I don't think of Mom as old, but as she grows older, she is literally bearing fruit and proving that ...The Lord is upright and faithful to His promises...
What a blessing. What an example. And I will arise and call my Mother blessed!
Love you Mum ;o)
A hearts' cry...Father, as each day passes, my hearts' cry is to continue to be useful and fruitful until the day I meet You face to face...not so that I can stay active...but so that others might know your Son.