This post is for all my mom friends who are believers, trying to figure out this life on mission and life as a mom. And how they intertwine.
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This morning, at the Cannery, Aaron gave this compelling, convicting teaching from John 14 (podcast goes live tomorrow). I'll give a mini-recap — which will never do his sermon any justice — but will give you some framework...
The disciples are standing around Jesus, asking him questions. Like "you say you've told us the way, but we still don't know the way, what do you mean, Jesus?" and "will you show us the Father?" And Jesus is standing in front of them, answering, "I am the way and the truth and the life," and "If you've seen me, then you've seen the Father. If you love me and obey me, then the Father and I will make our home in you."
Aaron proceeds to dive into this and explain how this is God's plan for the entire world. That Jesus, the brilliant and master strategist, has revealed himself to his disciples, not to neglect the rest of the world, but to empower them and for the rest of the world to see the Father in them! And that's still the call to us, and it's the same goal, too. The world. Until every person has heard the name of Jesus, it's our mission. To reflect the Father's love to the world that desperately needs Him. To see the world changed in His image.
During the last bit of worship, I looked up and saw this incredible mom I know. She has 4 kids, and they are just this beautiful family on mission; they are a great example of a faithful family seeking the Lord together. I started hearing the Holy Spirit, prompting me to pray for her. I felt clueless, and so I just kept asking for the Spirit's voice and not my own. I kept hearing these words "holy work, holy days," as I was looking at her. I was praying for her, praying for guilt to be lifted and for her to not feel the burden of this call from the teaching — but to find herself already in this call.
So I went to her and just shared those few words with her, that she is doing "holy work, and these are holy days." And I prayed over her. And her response was so incredible and affirming — during the sermon, she was wrestling with the guilt. Is she doing enough? What's her role in reaching the world? And then it hit me, if she is feeling this, there are probably lots of other moms feeling this.
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And here's where I am with this...
This call is not just for the disciples. And it's not for just our husbands, or the single people we know, or the couples who don't have kids, or the empty nesters. It's for us, too. We have seen Jesus, we have been changed by Him. We know this truth. And we aren't sitting in some waiting room, trying to spend the next 18 years raising kids, and then we get to get in the game of changing the world. Our time is now, too.
And at the same time, this call isn't meant to make us feel guilty. To feel burdened. Because Jesus himself said,
"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
So if I believe that I've seen and now know Jesus, and I believe his burden is light...then this call is for me and with him, it's doable. It's my call, too.
It may not look like going to Cambodia like one mom at Ethos (but it might!). It might look like raising two toddlers and telling them about Jesus and pouring my heart out for them, and taking them where I go and letting them see the real me, the broken and hurting and healing and trying me.
To teach them to hear the Holy Spirit, and to let them see me fail and get back up again, and to love them and apologize when I hurt them, to teach them to serve the poor and to love the brokenhearted. To disciple them, to lead them to Jesus as I try to love Jesus more.
I'm no expert. But today I heard "holy work, holy days" for my friend, and I think for all of us moms. I would love to hear your ideas and thoughts on this. Please comment below — we're in this together.
