The Gift of Mothers

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. – (Psalm 139:13, NIV) 

You formed the way I think and feel. You put me together in my mother’s womb. – (Psalm 139:13, ERV) 

For You shaped me, inside and out. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath. – (Psalm 139:13, VOICE) 

Today, as well as every day, I have a heart overflowing with gratitude for my mother. Not only did God choose her to be my mom, but He chose me to be her daughter. God knew from before I had breath, who would be the perfect fit to raise, train, love and lead me best. My mom’s birthday is today, and I am so blessed to have the privilege of going to see and celebrate her existence. She is the most loving, giving and kind woman that I know. God created her for love, and she loves in ways that teach all of us what love ought to look like. Her patience and perseverance over the last many months have been inspiring, to say the least. Mom has been working tirelessly to regain strength and mobility that was lost when she suffered a stroke, nearly sixteen months ago. Though I cannot fulfill her greatest wish today, we are trusting God to pave the way and help orchestrate the details, so that mom’s next step will be to move back to her own home soon. He knows what she needs, and we are trusting that He will provide the perfect people to help provide the assistance she needs to thrive back in her own home. God is so good, and every time that I see or speak with my mom, I am reminded of just how good He truly is. May today be a day of blessings and miracles for my mom, and an opportunity for all of us to remember that God knew us and formed us with purpose, and set us in families for a reason. 

All praise be to God, 

There is no other; 

Who gives life to us, 

And gifts us mothers. 

Before we were formed, 

God already knew; 

Who He’d gift to us, 

To show us love’s true. 

And oh, how I know, 

To look to His face; 

Because mom has shown, 

His love and His grace. 

God bless her, keep her, 

Sustain her, I pray; 

All thanks unto You, 

For my mom, each day! 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You knit each of us together with intention. You designed us to love and be loved. Thank You for the incredible blessing we have through the gift of our mom. Forgive us for not thanking You enough, for Your goodness knows no end. Teach us how to love one another in a way that honors You best. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the incredible gift of mothers. 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. – Psalm 34:8

Triumphant Entry

A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” – (Matthew 21:8-9, NIV)

On the way to Jerusalem, many people spread their coats on the road for Jesus. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Some of the people were walking ahead of Jesus. Others were walking behind Him. They all shouted, “Praise to the Son of David!” ‘Welcome! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Praise to God in heaven!” – (Matthew 21:8-9, ERV)

Then an exceptionally large crowd gathered and carpeted the road before Him with their cloaks and prayer shawls. Others cut down branches from trees to spread in His path. Jesus road in the center of the procession – crowds going before Him and crowds coming behind Him, and they all shouted, “Bring the victory, Lord, Son of David! He comes with the blessings of being sent from the Lord Yahweh! We celebrate with praises to God in the highest!” – (Matthew 21:8-9, TPT)

 

This portion of the road to Easter story, never ceases to amaze me. It is difficult to wrap my mind around a huge crowd throwing their coats and palm branches on the road before Jesus, so that He would cross before them on a space that recognized and acknowledged His significance as they shouted out the truth of who He was, only to have a mob mentality less than a week later, to have Him crucified. Further in the passage, the crowd follows Jesus to the temple and He continues to teach and heal and love as He had always done. Imagine His perspective as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. He knew what was coming, yet He chose to enter into town. In our broken humanity, we likely would have questioned the crowd or looked upon them with a lesser love, knowing where the week was going. However, Jesus, in His perfect love, likely took in every face and chose love all the more. He could have turned and ridden right back out of town, and no one would have questioned Him. Jesus entered with purpose, on purpose, and did not deter from He knew He had to do. Love for all of humanity drove Him; love for each one of us, individually, kept Him there. May we turn our hearts and minds to Christ, the risen King, as we enter into this most sacred and surreal Easter week. He is good, and His love endures for all time.

 

Triumphant entry,

The crowds shouted praise;

All glory to God,

Through sayings they raised.

They made a clear path,

For Christ to ride in;

Such honor granted,

Holy week begins.

Imagine seeing,

The One they foretold;

Passing before you,

A sight to behold.

Help us to take pause,

Reflect and recall;

The great magnitude,

Your entry for all.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us so much that You sent Your one and only Son to make the way for us to be restored back to life with You. Thank You that in this season of so much unsettled and unknown, You have settled and You know. Thank You for Your love that entered in, despite the horrendous weight that You were chosen to bear on our behalf. Forgive us for not taking time to pause and reflect on the holiness of this season. Teach us to have a greater grasp of what You have done for us so that we might know love and life abundant in You. Show us how to love others with the same tenacity that You have as You choose to love each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we reflect, remember and rejoice in the incredible sacrifice that You made so that we would have abundant life in You. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. – Psalm 68:19