In honor of my mother and all mothers who never “quit it!”

Dedicate your children to God and point them in the way that they should go, and the values they’ve learned from you will be with them for life.

(Proverbs 22:6 TPT)

When I was a young boy, I hated going to church.  My mother, on the other hand, didn’t care.  As a boy, it seemed meaningless, and it never made sense to me.  I just didn’t want anything to do with it. One Sunday morning, I was hoping to sleep in and get out of going to church, but my mother was very persistent and persuasive and could not tolerate my laziness. I resisted as long as I could until I finally got two pops on my leg. I knew these were mothers warning shots, and if I continued to challenge her authority, she would rain down a barrage of butt whoopin’ on me, so I got up. Groggy and sluggish, off to church I went. Well, I knew as soon as the preacher started preaching, keeping my eyes open was going to be a difficult task.  Boy, was I right!  As soon as I started hearing that deep soothing melodic chant of his voice, my eyes started burning, and my lids got heavy.  I tried to fight it, but it was like a tranquilizer. I went out like a light.  Apparently, I must have started snoring because my mother chose to wake me up with a firm pinch on my arm. A pinch that would never be forgotten because it roused me abruptly from my sleep. As sharp pain coursed through my body, I shot to my feet and shouted with a loud voice, “quit it!”    

Yeah, you could have heard a pin drop.  I came out of my fog of sleep, realizing what was going on, my heart rate shot up, and my jaw dropped. I looked at my mother, looking at me with pursed lips, raised eyebrows, and fire shooting from her eyes. It seemed like everything slowed down, and the moment dragged out as I looked to the front, and the preacher was no longer preaching but looking in my direction to see what the commotion was. I gazed across the congregation to see that everyone had turned around, and all eyes were on me.  Some looked with disappointment. Others seemed as shocked as I was. Some looked at me as if to say, “oh, he is gonna get it big time!”. Well, I don’t have to tell you I remained awake for the rest of the service!  I also got a good butt whooping when we got home.  But, I have to say, as terrible as that moment seemed for me as a young boy and as much as I hated going to church, I am glad my mother never “quit it.”   I am so thankful she never quit dragging me to church.  I am grateful she shared bible stories with me when I was young and that she always read her bible and prayed. I am blessed because she lived a Christian life in front of me.  I am indebted because she always defended her faith, her family, and her church.  I am so happy my mother never “quit it” because “it” is what eventually saved me.  You see, my mother was not just trying to wake me up for the moment but for eternity.  She knew that she was planting seeds in me that would one day become a tree of life.  

When I look at the state of our country or even the world, I have to think God is trying to wake us up.  I believe many people are feeling “the pinch” in this nation because God wants to save humanity.  He wants to wake us up, not for the moment but for eternity! As frustration, discontentment, and disappointment course through the body of our nation and it rises up wanting to defend the right to stay in a delusional fog, you can bet that God will not “quit it!”.  He loves us too much and desires that all come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  No man comes to the Father unless he is drawn by the Spirit. My friends, He is drawing! The bible talks about how God disciplines those that He loves, and He loves us very much;  too much to let us die in our sins, and He won’t stop until we are awake.  Life is but a vapor in light of eternity, so a moment of discomfort to save our souls is very much worth it. He sees the big picture. He is a good Father, and the Father loves us.   If you are feeling “the pinch,” then wake up!! Wake up and hear the message. One day, those who awaken will be glad they did. And we will all be grateful He never “quit it!”.

John 3:16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

Romans 13:11 Another reason for right living is this: you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed.