At the age of sixteen, my mother lost her mother. For that reason (and because I had a bad view of God back then) I also feared losing my mother when I was sixteen. Mercifully, God blessed me with 37 years beyond sixteen to enjoy life with my Mom. I had many more birthdays and Mother’s Days to tell her how much I loved her.
In reflecting on her life, I realize how my mother’s trust in God enabled her to “handle life.” Perhaps losing her own mother helped her grasp how short life really is and how important it is to live every moment as if it is your last. And she did.
A lot of us seem to be losing parents these days, and it is not easy. In (1 Corinthians 15:50-58) the Apostle Paul describes the pain as “the sting of death.” Just as the pain of a sting is genuine (whether bee sting, jelly fish or hypodermic needle) the sting of death is genuine. But for the one whose trust is in the Lord Jesus Christ, this sting will not be forever because Jesus has been resurrected. With Jesus, we have the same promise of resurrection one day. Though I miss my mother dearly, I am confident I will see her again.
In the meantime I am challenged by her example. I want to trust God better as I “handle life.” I want to pass “My mom’s trust in God” on to the next generation in the same way she passed her mother’s trust in God on to me. But we don’t have to be mothers to do that. All of us who name Jesus Christ as Lord are challenged to pass it on to the next generation, bearing spiritual children!
-Beth Jones