| June 7, 2021 |
THE FRUITS OF NURTURE BORN OF GOD'S LOVE |
Regardless of where our journey continues to take us, we can be encouraged by the assurance that God abides with us. Scriptures tell us in the Gospel of John, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing,” (John 15: 5). Isn’t that good news, that God abide with us – come what may. The challenge we have all along our journey is reminding ourselves, wherever the road takes us, to continue to abide in God’s love. So easily, we can get caught in the rhythm of trying to figure out life ourselves. Sometimes we grow into becoming our own “solution.” Daily, Jesus invites us to abide in God so that the Spirit of God may abide in us. Just as a branch stays connected to the vine, we too, as children of God, must stay connected to our source, Jesus. Eventually, somewhere along our journey, we encounter the reality that apart from God, life is not as easy.
As we journey into our corporate and familiar observances of Mother’s Day and give thanks for the gift of nurture given to us by our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, teachers, spiritual parents, church mothers, mentors and all women who answer the call to “care”, I am reminded of the metaphor of fruits grown from branches connected to vines rooted in fertile soil. All of us are the “fruit” of the faith of nurturing women connected and rooted in Jesus Christ. These women we remember. We give thanks that as they have abided in the love of God, all the days of their life, their acts of nurture have shaped us and sustained us.
Where would we be if they did not love us as God loved them. They have lived their lives by this assurance, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love,” (John 15:9).
I’m so grateful for the women who nurtured me in God’s love. It has made all the difference in my life. I am today because they loved God.
This month, as we give God thanks for mothers and all women, our nurturers, yesterday and today, let us continue to abide in the love of God through nurturing acts that make a difference in the lives of others.
Let us continue to abide in the unconditional love of God revealed through Jesus Christ.
God bless you and keep you,
Rev. Perzavia T. Praylow, PhD.
Pastor
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