Psalm 46:6-7 “The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts! The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.”
On November 22, 1963, the unthinkable happened: President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as the whole world watched in horror. Americans sat speechless, glued to their black and white televisions as the motorcade scene repeatedly played throughout the weeks. Parents found it impossible to shield their children from such an unspeakable event.
Fast forward fifty years, and life found me moving my mother-in-law into a dementia facility. Cleaning out her belongings without guidance was exhausting, so we placed most of it in boxes to process later. Eventually, I began pulling out the remnants of her life from the garage and discovered her jewelry box. Carefully opening it, I inspected each piece of jewelry, almost overlooking a small piece of paper protruding from the box lining. Assuming it to be trash, I pulled on it to discard. What I discovered was a sealed envelope, yellowed with age and hidden in the lining of the jewelry box. On the outside was written:
“To my Son, Mike – To be opened when older”
I resisted an overwhelming urge to read this hidden treasure and anxiously awaited my husband’s return.
He opened the envelope very carefully and pulled out a letter penned half a century ago by his mother. Bearing the date November 23, 1963 reveled it had been written the day following the JFK assassination. His grieving mother’s words attempted to make sense of a senseless deed in a broken world. She poured out her heart to her “future son.” The letter ended with the following:
“Son, there is one truth I know to tell you and you will never be confused – Always put God first. Always be loyal to your family and country but never let either of them come before your loyalty to God. . . If you should ever become great, I pray you would always remember that greatness in this world is secondary. If God is pleased with you, then you will truly be great.”
Although our world remains broken, a mother’s heart will always hold the dream of a bright future for her children. Gratefully, all hope relies on a God who sustains through difficult times and remains in control when all seems so out of control. All futures lie in the hands of a mighty God who desires to be our greatest love because we are His greatest love. All dreams for our children rest in a Father who guides the path for those who trust Him. As we celebrate motherhood this week, may we not focus on a broken world. Instead, may we remember God’s love for our children is far greater than all the love our hearts can ever hold for them.
Father God, we praise you for the love you instilled in a mother’s heart. Help us remember it is only a small fraction of the love you have for our children.
Rita Cochrane