When a Mama Needs to Say Yes
When the days are full to overflowing of projects and tasks and the family is hurry scurrying every which way sometimes a mama needs to stop, look around, listen closely, and say yes. Yes, those of us here at home do need to make some no bake chocolate cookies today. Yes. Yes, we do need to stop work, drag out those old time worship songs, and rock 'til we drop for Jesus. We need to "Look What the Lord Has Done", ask "Can You Believe What the Lord Has Done In Me", and keep the enemy under our feet until the furniture rattles while we're in the "Enemy's Camp" singing loud.
We need to "Praise Him, Raise Him" then "Stand Up and Shout" before declaring that "Jesus is a River of Love" and "Jesus is the Rock". And if we end up shouting the name of Jesus over and over and over with our hands lifted high praising Him in the loudest most rowdy boy fashion ever? So much the better. And if, as we are going back to our work, we continue lifting our hearts to Him by uttering the battle cry of "For the Lord Jesus! In the name and power of the Lord God Almighty!" over and over until we reach the places we are working? It's been worth it. It's been worth the ceasing of work to worship.
Hearing the rafters rattle with the name of Jesus coming out of boy lips and go roaring through the house shakes loose the hurry and the scurry in their mama. Seeing those boy eyes dance with delight when mama starts putting the enemy under her feet reminds mama of what truly matters. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Why not now? Why not here, in my house? Why not me? Why not my sons? Why not my daughters? Why not all of us? Why not? Who says the floor can't be swept in the name of Jesus and to the glory of God Almighty? Who says we can't conquer the household work in the name of Jesus as if we are crusaders fighting a holy war? Who says we can't? Who?
Why do I forget? This mama heart of mine gets so busy getting everything done that I could easily be mistaken for Martha in the Bible when the better way is to work like Martha while worshiping like her sister Mary. Jesus didn't get upset at Martha's fussing. He gently showed her the better way. If I have read the account correctly, He almost ignores the fact that she is fussing at Him as He gently shows her the better way. He doesn't tell her to quit working. He simply reminds her not to forget about worshiping Him while she is. Don't get so busy with the work that you forget Me, Martha is what the Lord Jesus reminds Martha.
I tend to be a lot like Martha. I forget Him. I get busy with the tasks of the day, with schooling children, overseeing the household, helping My Beloved, then I forget. I forget the rallying cry of "In the Name of the Lord Jesus to the glory of Almighty God!" I just go, without Him, on my own. Is it any wonder it all seems so difficult and hard? Is it any wonder that like Martha I lean towards the fussing side of things? "In the name of the Lord Jesus to the glory of Almighty God!" The words reverberate through my heart like an arrow flung from the archers bow. Mothers are trusted with a sacred calling. We are training warriors for the Lord. Men and women of God who will fight for what is right. Warriors engaged in a holy war are rising up all around, and these warriors are us.
Maybe we aren't crusaders from the Middle Ages, but we are warriors of righteousness fighting battles for goodness in the name of the Lord Jesus every day all day long. In our homes, our schools, our places of business, while working, while eating, sometimes even while sleeping we are facing enemies who want to keep us from walking the way of Love, the way of God. These enemies aren't made of flesh and blood. Often they carry names such as laziness, careless living, foolish choices, selfish perspectives, busyness, dullness, distracted, unobservant, or unfocused. How many times would we rather stare at a screen than make cookies or even work together. How often do we choose to watch the latest episode rather than sing those songs of praise? OR How many times do I, the mama, push, cajole, growl, grump, even threaten just to "get the job done"?
When did I start taking after Martha and allow "getting 'er done" to become so all fired important? When did accomplishments become the goal? When did my people get shoved to the back burner and Jesus sometimes further back than that? When did Jesus begin to get left out of the daily living of life? If it's all about Him, why is it sometimes not? Why is the battle cry not being uttered in His name and for His glory everyday all day long? Why are the "troops" not being mustered and the call to arms not being given? Why do I ever forget Jesus? Most wonderingly or all, why does He not get upset with me when I do? Why does He keep gently reminding me, as He did Martha, to not forget Him, to not forget the better way?
It is for certain. There are days when the better way, when sitting at the feet of Jesus as Mary did, is a mama saying yes. Yes to cookies. Yes to singing. Yes to Jesus. Yes to going forth in His name to the glory of God Almighty.
We need to "Praise Him, Raise Him" then "Stand Up and Shout" before declaring that "Jesus is a River of Love" and "Jesus is the Rock". And if we end up shouting the name of Jesus over and over and over with our hands lifted high praising Him in the loudest most rowdy boy fashion ever? So much the better. And if, as we are going back to our work, we continue lifting our hearts to Him by uttering the battle cry of "For the Lord Jesus! In the name and power of the Lord God Almighty!" over and over until we reach the places we are working? It's been worth it. It's been worth the ceasing of work to worship.
Hearing the rafters rattle with the name of Jesus coming out of boy lips and go roaring through the house shakes loose the hurry and the scurry in their mama. Seeing those boy eyes dance with delight when mama starts putting the enemy under her feet reminds mama of what truly matters. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Why not now? Why not here, in my house? Why not me? Why not my sons? Why not my daughters? Why not all of us? Why not? Who says the floor can't be swept in the name of Jesus and to the glory of God Almighty? Who says we can't conquer the household work in the name of Jesus as if we are crusaders fighting a holy war? Who says we can't? Who?
Why do I forget? This mama heart of mine gets so busy getting everything done that I could easily be mistaken for Martha in the Bible when the better way is to work like Martha while worshiping like her sister Mary. Jesus didn't get upset at Martha's fussing. He gently showed her the better way. If I have read the account correctly, He almost ignores the fact that she is fussing at Him as He gently shows her the better way. He doesn't tell her to quit working. He simply reminds her not to forget about worshiping Him while she is. Don't get so busy with the work that you forget Me, Martha is what the Lord Jesus reminds Martha.
I tend to be a lot like Martha. I forget Him. I get busy with the tasks of the day, with schooling children, overseeing the household, helping My Beloved, then I forget. I forget the rallying cry of "In the Name of the Lord Jesus to the glory of Almighty God!" I just go, without Him, on my own. Is it any wonder it all seems so difficult and hard? Is it any wonder that like Martha I lean towards the fussing side of things? "In the name of the Lord Jesus to the glory of Almighty God!" The words reverberate through my heart like an arrow flung from the archers bow. Mothers are trusted with a sacred calling. We are training warriors for the Lord. Men and women of God who will fight for what is right. Warriors engaged in a holy war are rising up all around, and these warriors are us.
Maybe we aren't crusaders from the Middle Ages, but we are warriors of righteousness fighting battles for goodness in the name of the Lord Jesus every day all day long. In our homes, our schools, our places of business, while working, while eating, sometimes even while sleeping we are facing enemies who want to keep us from walking the way of Love, the way of God. These enemies aren't made of flesh and blood. Often they carry names such as laziness, careless living, foolish choices, selfish perspectives, busyness, dullness, distracted, unobservant, or unfocused. How many times would we rather stare at a screen than make cookies or even work together. How often do we choose to watch the latest episode rather than sing those songs of praise? OR How many times do I, the mama, push, cajole, growl, grump, even threaten just to "get the job done"?
When did I start taking after Martha and allow "getting 'er done" to become so all fired important? When did accomplishments become the goal? When did my people get shoved to the back burner and Jesus sometimes further back than that? When did Jesus begin to get left out of the daily living of life? If it's all about Him, why is it sometimes not? Why is the battle cry not being uttered in His name and for His glory everyday all day long? Why are the "troops" not being mustered and the call to arms not being given? Why do I ever forget Jesus? Most wonderingly or all, why does He not get upset with me when I do? Why does He keep gently reminding me, as He did Martha, to not forget Him, to not forget the better way?
It is for certain. There are days when the better way, when sitting at the feet of Jesus as Mary did, is a mama saying yes. Yes to cookies. Yes to singing. Yes to Jesus. Yes to going forth in His name to the glory of God Almighty.