Only two days ago Ps Lakers spoke on why it is not good for a man to be alone and the purpose of marriage.

 

Today, we reflect on and pray for the mothers in our lives.

 

It is fitting that we start with two mothers that are pivotal in the new testament at the very start of the birth of Christ.

 

 *Part 1 – Elizabeth* 

 

Luke 1: 5-7

 

“In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.”

 

Now we all know what happens next which is that Zechariah was in the temple burning incense when an angel of the Lord appeared to him and said (Luke 1: 13-17): 

 

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John … And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

 

Zechariah initially questioned the angel and because he did not immediately believe the angel, he was muted and not able to speak of what he had been told.

 

After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 

 

But Elizabeth’s faith was strong and she said “The Lord has done this for me”. “In these days he has shown his favour and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

 

Elizabeth was related to Mary and we know that when Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant Mary stayed with Zechariah and Elizabeth for 3 months (this was soon after Mary was told she would be the mother of Jesus).

 

Luke 1: 41-43:

 

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

 

When Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist, her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.  At the circumcision they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.

 

But Elizabeth spoke up – Luke 1: 60-66:

 

“ “No! He is to be called John.”  

 

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 

 

Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.”

 

1. The faith she showed when she said the “Lord has done this for me”.  

2. Her relationship with God and the Holy Spirit when she was told how blessed Mary was among women, and blessed was the child she would bear.

3. Her courage as a mother to go against tradition and name her son John despite others questioning this decision and then having the decision affirmed by her husband.

 

 *Part 2 – Mary* 

 

Luke 1: 26-38

 

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

 

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

 

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

 

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

 

Imagine what must have been going through Mary’s mind at that time.

 

A baby out of wedlock! How would she explain this?

 

But her response was amazing and showed her faith and courage.

 

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

 

Prayer Point 2 – Again we reflect on the strength and courage Mary showed as a virgin mother.  To say “May your word to me be fulfilled” shows a level of faith that is hard to comprehend. What would we do if given this message?  How would we reply?

 

 *Part 3 – Our Mothers* 

 

My mother Maria was born in Medellin, Colombia.  The second in a family of 11 children born of Catholic parents who were devout.

 

She was going to be a nun and applied to the monastery when she was 14 years old.  She was told to go see the world and come back when older.

 

Then a few years later she met my dad and the plans to be a nun fell by the wayside.

 

But she kept her strong faith praying to God every day.

 

Seeking a better life for my brother and I who were only 1 year and 4 months old at the time, my parents moved to Australia in 1974 without any English, any family or money.  From being surrounded by loved ones they suddenly found themselves all alone in a foreign land.

 

Those initial years were very hard for them.  They suffered through many challenges some of which almost broke their spirit and resolve to remain.  But slowly but surely they made Australia home and my brother and I were blessed with a good education and all the opportunities our amazing home has given us.

 

The stories of their challenges are legendary in our family and would make a great Hollywood movie – but sadly we don’t have time for them today.

 

My mother is God loving and one of the most kind and beautiful people you will ever meet.  

 

She has yet to join us for church or be born again.  I did invite her to church today but she kindly declined in her own sweet and kind way.

 

I pray she will join us one day and by inviting her I know a seed has been planted.  I leave the rest up to the Holy Spirit to intervene. 

 

Regardless, I thank God for the courage my mother demonstrated by leaving Colombia and starting a new life for us in Australia.  For never giving up and in her own faithful way leaving all challenges to God to work through. 

 

Prayer Point 3 – brothers, some of your mothers are still with us.  Other’s have passed.  Either way, please reflect on the courage your own mothers showed as they raised you.  What did they give up to give you a better life.  We pray in appreciation and gratitude for our mothers and that they be blessed wherever they may be …

 

 *Part 4 – The Mothers of Our Children* 

 

We return to the stories of Elizabeth and Mary.

 

In addition to being stories of mothers demonstrating great strength, courage and faith - these are also stories of their husbands stepping up.

 

In Elizabeth’s story, her husband Zechariah was silenced and his wife had to do the talking.  When she stood up and said that her son would be called John, her husband stood up and affirmed it and it was only then that his voice returned.

 

In Mary’s case, when she became pregnant she was betrothed to Joseph which was the first stage of marriage in the Jewish law (called Shiddukin in Hebrew) and usually lasted for a year before the wedding night.  The woman remained with her parents during that year and there was no consummation until the wedding night. 

 

Joseph could have stepped away and denied he was the father and shamed Mary.  But we know from Matthew 1: 18-22 that he did not.  An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

 

Joseph stepped up – “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. “

 

This week we heard that a man needs a woman.

 

I agree.  But I’d add that the stories of Elizabeth and Mary show how much we need each other.

 

Like Elizabeth and Mary, our women, the mothers of our children, need us men to step up.  Step up so they can be the best version of themselves.  This means supporting them and listening carefully to their prayers, their desires, their hopes and dreams.  

 

It also means being ready to stand up and act when they are led by the Holy Spirit – just like Joseph and Zechariah did.  

 

Final Prayer Point – brothers, we pray for the mothers of our children.  We are filled with gratitude for them.  We thank them for their courage, love and support.  We pray for God’s grace and wisdom to step up and be there for our women when they need us and when the Holy Spirit commands.