Devotion by Pastor Lee Yilun
Mother’s Day comes around in the month of May and it is a time when we celebrate mothers all around the world. To all the amazing mothers out there, I want to say a big “THANK YOU” to you for persevering in faith, loving genuinely and “showing up” again and again for your family!
As a pastor with three children attending Primary and Secondary schools, I find myself juggling with their schedules, my ministry commitments, taking care of my elderly parents, overseeing the cell groups under my pastoral care, and providing for the basic needs of my family. Above and beyond all, my husband and I desire to raise godly children, ensuring that they become people of Christlike character. I am sure I am one among many mothers in a similar situation. Indeed, motherhood is one of the most demanding and overwhelming roles in life.
At City Harvest Church, Pastor Kong has been teaching us about how we need to slow down in the midst of all the busyness, to focus on what’s most important—having a loving union with our Lord. Only when we remain joined to Jesus (Jn. 15:5), can we be able to partner with the Holy Spirit (Jn. 16:13) to steward these precious ones entrusted to us by our heavenly Father (Ps. 127:3). As we draw from God, we are then able to pour out love, faith, time and energy into those who matter most to us.
For me, slowing down for loving union means being intentional in “still-ing” my heart before God (Ps. 46:10), being fully aware of His presence and having that disposition of heart to “incline” my ears to hear His voice (Pro. 4:20). This can happen anywhere and anytime—such as taking a 10-minute breather before heading to my next appointment, being mindful of God when I put my kids to bed or when I’m preparing breakfast for the family early in the morning. I know that I simply cannot be a loving and effective mother without help from God.
Every time I feel weary and discouraged, Isaiah 40:28-31 comes to mind:
Isaiah 40:28-31 (NKJV)
28 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
I remind myself that the God to whom I belong and whom I serve (Acts 27:23) is an Almighty Creator of the heavens and the earth. In Him, there is unlimited wisdom, unlimited strength, unlimited love and unlimited resources. Yes, even the most physically able of (wo)men can feel weak and limited in capacity, but there is a beautiful promise in verse 31 of what God’s strength will help us do if we wait on Him. The key to emotional, physical, mental and spiritual resilience and strength is not in working more, but in waiting more upon the Lord.
To “wait” in Hebrew is the word “Qavah”, which means to wait actively with anticipation, hopefully watching for God to act. We wait with great expectation for God to do His wondrous work in and through us, our children and our family. In time, we will receive not only a boost for the moment, but an equipping to “soar” through life’s situations and demands.
Only in full dependence on Jesus can we truly be like Him! What that happens, we will then live out the calling of motherhood – to lead, guide, nurture, discipline and love our children well by modelling Christ to them. The ultimate goal is to raise our children to not only have knowledge of God, but to also have a personal relationship with Him.
Remember, becoming a better mother does not start with what we are doing but who God is inviting us to become. Our focus and our source of strength is in that transformative union we have in God. The truth is, we do not need to have it altogether. We can come before Him just as we are. God knows our pain and understands our struggles. Our “best” is good enough for God. We are not alone in this motherhood journey. Amidst the tiredness, mess and chaos, He is extending His invitation to us, to draw near to Him and wait upon Him.