A mom put her son to bed on the eve of his fifth birthday. She was trying to communicate the birthday idea to him. "Kevin," she said, "this is the last night of your fourth year. Do you understand that?" For a full year, he had shown people four fingers for his four years, and now he was ready to add a thumb. Seeing his four fingers, his mother nodded, and said: "When you go to sleep tonight, you'll still be 4-years-old. But do you know how old you'll be in the morning, when you wake up?" Kevin nodded enthusiastically, added his thumb to his four little fingers and said, "Tomorrow, I'll be a handful!" HA!

How very true that is but the handful really begins from day one, doesn’t it? I’m always surprised when folks say, “Man, last night I slept like a baby!” Because that saying is so flawed! What does that mean, you were up every hour and half crying for food!? HA! A handful from day 1!! And really, kiddos never stop being a handful for moms…but you know what, God has specifically designed, strengthened and placed a call upon the hands of moms…to handle that fullness of not only difficulty, exhaustion, and busyness, but also that fullness of love, compassion, encouragement, and faith!

We find a calling placed on a mom in the pages of scripture. Turn with me to Luke Chapter 1 and read along with me verses 26 – 27. This young lady really have everything possible going for her. She was well renowned. Good reputation. Clean conscience and betrothed at a young age to a good man. Joseph was what’s known as a Sadiq in that he was a respected, kind, devout Jewish man, (Plus he was a son of David!), and to be engaged to him was to have her entire life in order…and then this call from heaven came…

Luke Chapter 1 Verse 28. This must have been exhilarating for her! What more could she ask for in life! Life was going her way, and now even an angel shows up and says, dag on girl, you are awesome and God’s noticing! Big things in store for you! HA!!! Let’s keep reading…

Luke Chapter 1 Verses 29 – 33. I bet she was thinking…, “Ooook, that wasn’t what I was expecting!” You gotta take in this extravagant calling behind her eyes for just one moment. Reputation? Obliterated! Legacy for her love, Joseph? Usurped! The wedding may even be off and who would want to hang with a girl who was betrothed in the past? What would he think when she tells him not only is she pregnant, (and it’s a boy), but we can’t name Him Joseph as was common in a family but His name will be Jesus?!

Pile on top of that, this Son of hers will be great, the Son of the Highest to ascend to the throne of David their great king and He is to reign over Israel! Tall order, man! Mom’s out there, what’s it take to raise a neuro-scientist or a brain surgeon or an Olympic athlete? That training has to start early, right!? Well how about raising the One who is to be King!!?? He better know good manners; He better not be mischievous and all that as a boy…this is like laying all of this on her…now we know who Jesus is but at this time, she didn’t. All of these things are, in this moment, HER responsibility! Some would call this, an impossible calling…the calling on a mom…but God is with her!

The calling of mom is mission impossible, man…always on call, expectations high, never allowed to say, “That’s not my job,” or I guess it would be, “That ain’t my kid,” although sometimes you might look at dad and say, “That’s your son…” HA…but doctor, fixer, warmer, corrector, guidance counselor, spiritual leader, chauffeur, SLAVE…HA…and on top of it all, that little kiddos character, future, what they will or will not be able to become, weighs constantly on the heart of mom. The calling is legit…and difficult and overwhelming…just like this calling on this young lady, Mary…but God was with her…and His promise to you moms…He is with you too.

Notice what the angel says to Mary in verse 35a…a promise to each of you moms today, “The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will over-shadow you…” Literalactically (literally practically), that means, God will walk with you…Mary brought forth, carried out, walked into and successfully through an impossible calling upon her life…how? She never wavered from her trust in God’s will. Was she scared? Absolutely! Was she unsure of her own capability? Who wouldn’t be!? Was she filled with anxiety over what was set before her…of course she was…but her Son went on to save the world.

How’d she walk through this impossible calling? Mary committed herself to God and she made no room for commitment to anything else…I’m sure every day was new with Jesus…more and more she could see that He was so very different, just like your little one…and yet day in and day out…God walked with her, she trusted in Him and so fulfilled her impossible calling.

Mother’s Day can be sweet for some and saddening for others. Your little one, or maybe not so little one anymore, may or may not be on their feet fiscally, spiritually, emotionally or even physically…but I want to give you this simple exhortation if you want to see God’s will accomplished in you and in your child…If you desire God’s will, TRUST IT. (This goes for really all of us but today specifically for all the women because Paul even spoke of a surrogate mother to him in Romans 16:13)

Be committed to God…leaving no room for commitment to anything else…and lead that kiddo in devout and faithful lenience upon God’s Word. Often so lenient upon the sin of the child…lean AWAY from sin, lean away from your own understanding even and trust the Lord with all your heart…let Him direct your path, and as you lead them, by implication God will direct theirs…

Psalm 127 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman (or watchmom) stays awake in vain.” Moms have an ultra-important, heavy and legit call upon them. An impossible call isn’t it? So was Mary’s. She left behind her reputation, her comfort in position in life and society and even in her own family…she answered this call…and her Son saved the world.

Mom’s how you are loved and how you are needed. Please allow this exhortation…Answer the call…trust God’s will and Word. You may know very little of God’s Word and that’s ok…walk in what you know! And learn more…get in the Word and as you learn, walk in those newly revealed truths! Start today! The calling is legit, BE LEGIT man…legitimately standing on the promises of God even when the day is difficult…TRUST Him! His ways are not ours…they are higher and to fulfill this calling, there is no other option. Be saved, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and be reliant and obedient to the Word of God, just as Mary was…and the next child to save their world, will be yours…