Quiet Times for Moms of Littles
Editor’s Note:
This is the third in a collection of spiritual reflections especially for moms of small children on the famous Scripture on Love in 1 Corinthians 13 – perhaps these are the most often quoted verses in the Bible. This series was written and compiled at the end of 2019 by two of our sisters in Christ – Jan Mitchell and Mary Shapiro (see their bios at the end of this article), who lead a group of young mothers in church and wanted to create a quiet time series for them on the theme of Love. This series is the fruit of that effort.
By Mary Shapiro -- Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
1 Corinthians 13:4
When Jan asked me last week to write a devotional thought on this verse, my first thought was, 'but I don't boast." The heart is deceitful above all things! (Jeremiah 17:9) Here is the definition I found for "boast":
"to talk with excessive pride and SELF-satisfaction about ONE's achievements, possessions, or abilities." If you want to do a frightening study this week, print out all the scripture references for "boast" or "boasting" from Bible Gateway and read through them. Scary!
So here's what I found out...I boast about my accomplishments and abilities. I boast about my children and grandchildren (I know...it's in the Grandma Manual!) I boast about things I have gotten to do and places I have gotten to go. I boast about who I know (especially if I think that talking about them will make you impressed with me).
I boast about ME! How ugly! But as always, God gives us another option:
"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.' " 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
This is what the Lord says:
"Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
Or the strong boast of their strength
Or the rich boast of their riches,
But let the one who boasts boast about this:
That they have the understanding to know me.
That I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,
For in these I delight," declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:23-25
I was baptized on December 14,1988. Today is my spiritual birthday. Trust me, I am absolutely certain that I have been able to be a disciple for 32 years ONLY by the grace of God. So my birthday resolution is this: From now on, I will boast about the Lord.
I will boast about all he has done in my life, all of his blessings that I don't deserve. I will boast that every day I get to get up and read a book full of his words and thoughts and I get to use it to guide my actions and decisions.
I will boast that I was adopted into his family 32 years ago by his will and that I daily get to be in fellowship with men and women in his family. I will boast that I get to bring my anxieties and concerns to the Lord Almighty any time I want to.
I will boast about my Abba Father, the Creator, who made the beautiful world and calls the stars out by name (Isaiah 40).
I will boast about Jesus, who bought with his own blood a salvation that I could never earn for myself.
I will boast....
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