Reunion

Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. (Proverbs 23:22)

Ever wonder how I choose what scriptures to read and put into my blog? Let me give you this one as an example of how it often works.

Our church has a lighted sign with changeable letters. Each week the staff changes the message – either an announcement of special events or scriptures, mostly scriptures. Space is limited, so sometimes the scripture is shortened, or the reference omitted. Last night was a case in point when it stated DESPISE NOT THY MOTHER WHEN SHE IS OLD. Well, being an old mother, it piqued my curiosity and I looked up the full scripture this morning.

Sometimes it’s not easy to follow scripture. As I read that, I began thinking – then writing.

My husband and his brother were adopted when they were 9 and 8, after spending a couple of years in a state orphanage and a foster home or two. They had been taken from their father and stepmother as neglected children and their mother (several states away) signed for their adoption, which placed them into the orphanage.

Thirty-seven years later they were reunited, with their mother, full brother, and brother and two sisters from her second marriage.

How does one treat a mother under those conditions? With love and forgiveness. I know, because I saw it at work. The same way God forgives us our transgressions.

His father had passed away a few short years before this reunion. He never experienced the forgiveness of his sons, never knew his grandchildren. We never knew the condition of his soul, either, to know whether to expect to meet him after he experienced God’s forgiving grace.

Every single day of our lives we have opportunity to experience God’s mercy and His grace. They are undeserved, but freely given upon our trust in Him. He provides for us spiritually and materially, providing for our salvation.

Paul says it twice in a few short verses.

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:5-8)

Renew the relationship. It is worth it.

(No, that’s not our sign. I didn’t take a photo yesterday, so I recreated at

Church Sign Maker.)