by Danny B. Smith, Purple Ark Ministries

© Copyright Reserved 

Burden of Purpose

"Mother with Child"

December 11th 2008

" And she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn".  Luke 2:6-7

When I think about the purpose of Christmas, I reflect on the burden of purpose of the Mother Mary. I think about the courage and the anxiety of carrying a priceless creation of God. This devotional is about the burden of purpose of a mother with child.

This message was more difficult to write than to speak. It is hard to put into words the suffering that women go through in order to bring life into this world that has broken the heart of God. In the mission field you see mothers struggling to care for their children. I find myself with a heavy heart for the young women who must wear a scarlet letter when they have lost the respect of family after becoming pregnant outside of marriage.

I look to the story of the mother Mary to illustrate the willingness to carry a "burden of purpose". I look to the millions of women who delivered babies that are now warriors of God. Some of our greatest leaders did not come from perfect homes. Many of the most gifted men and women of God came from broken lives, single mothers, poor and poverty driven communities. Mary was chosen to bear the suffering of homelessness. As Mary gave birth, the baby Jesus was laid in a stall used for feeding cattle. What was it like for this woman who was willing to suffer and even die to protect the birth right of  this Child of God? What is it like for a mother to struggle in labor without rest? 

A week ago, I gave an unscripted sermon to a community that was mostly women and children. I was compelled to express compassion for the women who had labored to bring forth new life. I was compelled to embrace the character of Christ suffering in every mother. I was compelled to embrace the mother Mary in every woman who is a carrier of life. The truth is, we do not know what the Potter is creating in his creations. We do not know what God's plan is for an unborn child.

My mother nearly died when, I was born. She did not have much, but she labored to bring me into this world. Growing up I listen to a world around me  that had declared that I was a lost cause. I was born poor and remember being hungry most of the time when I was with my mother. I have watched poverty destroy beautiful creations of God. I remember a hungry baby brother eatting rat poison and leaving the world before he was able to walk. I watched a fatherless home claim the lives of other children in my family.

I am still here! God has kept here! I was chosen before I was born! God can take the least of us and do the most. God can take the smallest church and repair a world divided. He can take a homeless child and bring forth a new reformation.

Dear Father, let us speak quiet into your ear. “We love you, we love you….. Thank you for the baby Jesus, thank you for the suffering that brings new life. Thank you for every soul that embraces the life that only God can give. Open your heart oh God! Open your heart! Embrace the fatherless child in every community. Cover the child that has no home! Strengthen the mother that must stand watch as others sleep. Let us remember Christ as we embrace mothers and children without a Christmas. Teach us how to give our Christmas to Jesus.

Pass This On to A Friend

Please pass this devotional message to a friend or a stranger that does not know how much God loves them!

 May God Bless your families at Christmas..

Danny Smith and Family