Piercing

Posted here on 9 May

I meet with a group of homemakers for weekly bible studies. This morning's was cancelled because two of the mums, LK and J, have to take care of their children. LK has to care for her son who got a nasty cut on his forehead over the weekend which required hospitalisation and stitching by a plastic surgeon no less. J has to care for her son who is having fever due to tooth decay. He is scheduled for a dental appointment to have his teeth (it is a double digit figure!) extracted.

Is it a coincidence that tonight's bible story for my kids is about Simeon who waited for "the consolation of Israel"? Simeon who finally saw baby Jesus praised God and blessed the baby's parents and he told Mary that "a sword will pierce your soul". We know this meant the time when she would witness Jesus' suffering and death on the cross.

I'm sure my two friends felt that "piercing" when their child is in pain. LK spoke of this pain when she saw her boy in the operating theatre with the many tubes sticking into him. J spoke of being jittery on the eve of the dental appointment.

Even though very sim tiah, LK told her son that his scar will always be a reminder of God's love because God has protected him from more serious injury. If this had happened to any of my boys, I would have told them the scar will serve as a reminder to be careful ;-) LK's son was moved to write to thank the church for praying for him. There you are, a mother who live out her life in thankfulness and a son who followed her godly example. I think that should be the way mothers (and fathers) handle the "piercing" that come our way.

Thank you Lord for this lesson.