Remembering Mothers, Past and Present

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue."

- Proverbs 31:26

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes shares that for, “everything under the heavens, there is a time and a season…change is inevitable.” Nothing remains the same, all things are forever changing.

The passing of my beloved mother-in-law, has marked a change of season in my life. I’m sure many of you have experienced the passing of someone dear to you and are challenged with the meaning of life when you are overwhelmed with this emotion. If you are in this season or have gone through it, let me try to help bring some perspective.
I’m reminded of the story of David when the prophet Nathan came to him and told him he would be experiencing the future loss of his newborn son. David prayed to God to change the situation; but to no avail. When David learned of the loss of his child, he said,
“I cannot bring him back, but I will be able to go onto him.” Life will always present us with some situations that we don’t understand, in particular when God says no.
David had to get up, wash his face and continue on with life. After we have mourned, we must get up, forge ahead, and continue to reach for the promises of life which God has given us. In doing so, we embrace the fullness that life has to offer us.
The hardships we don’t understand, once embraced, help shape and mold us to become the person God wants us to be. They help shape our perspective of how precious time is and how meaningless things can be. Nothing is more valuable than time spent with loved ones, relatives and friends.
A songwriter once wrote “A House is Not A Home.” It’s not the things in life that make it meaningful; it’s people. If you embrace the memories and the life lessons; they’ll make you stronger, better, and never bitter about the loss of life. I’ll further expound on this point in my article, “A Season of Change.”
However, as I pondered upon the meaning of this season of change and transition, I’ve learned that the one constant is God. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about the faith that was in him that had been established by his grandmother, Lois and his mother, Eunice. The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy of this undying and unwavering faith in God. Tough times can cause us to question the meaning of it all. But never should we let go of the faith that we have in a loving God.
Think back to those times when you found yourself singing the old hymns, or Sunday dinners with grandma, or Bible lessons with mom and dad; it’s these moments, and this faith that may have been instilled in you by loved ones gone on, that help anchor and root us in our love for God. Although seasons of transitions may be challenging, difficult and make us ask questions, we must remember that God never changes!