Reading the Facebook posts for Mother’s Day, I was touched by the dozens of postings of praise, thanksgiving, and remembrance my friends directed at their dear mothers, those still living and those who have gone on to their rewards. I know my own mother was pleased with the visit from my sister and me, our husbands, and our daughter, Mom’s only grandchild. I in turn was delighted that our daughter and her newlywed husband decided that each would begin the day by worshipping with his or her mother in the family’s home church and was pleased to see that Calvary had a nice ingathering of other young adults who grew up in our church family and chose to bless their mothers in this way.

All this is a good reminder of our relationship to our Father God, who is also pleased when we choose to spend time with Him, to praise His excellent qualities, to bring all the details of our lives before Him, to  confess our failures and ask for guidance, and to “forget not all His benefits” by offering prayers of thanksgiving. I rarely turn down the offer of time with our daughter, nor does anything she has to say bore me. And yet, my motherly love is a grain of sand compared God’s loving care for you and for me.

Just as few of us would dream of neglecting or ignoring our mothers on Mother’s Day, we should remind ourselves that God is supremely worthy of our time and devotion.

The Good News Translation of Isaiah 65:1 paraphrases it like this:  
The Lord said, “I was ready to answer my people's prayers, but they did not pray. I was ready for them to find me, but they did not even try. The nation did not pray to me, even though I was always ready to answer, ‘Here I am; I will help you.’

Pastor Tomas’s church in Poland has planned an ambitious Bible Week to begin on May 23; it will feature special services, evangelistic drama and music, school visits, a fascinating testimony from a convert from Buddhism, and other events aimed at strengthening believers and attracting those who have not yet heard the Gospel. For details as to how you might pray day-by-day, see Pastor Tomas’s latest email here.

Our church’s traditional Memorial Day Picnic will take place on Monday, May 25 at Koch Park. Pray for many hands to make light work for those planning it, for a good turnout, and for hearts to be touched by the warm fellowship they receive there.

A week or two ago, Greg Hodgson’s Freedom Driver heart machine suffered a “spontaneous permanent fault,” leaving Gary, Char, and Christopher hurrying to “change everything out” as Greg lost consciousness temporarily. He recovered without long-term consequences, and we can praise God that all three of the family were there to work together as quickly as the emergency required. Greg is now back at UCLA undergoing antibody-inhibiting treatment in preparation for the new heart we hope is coming. Pray for fortitude for him and for the Hodgson family and friends who will be spending many hours on the freeway traveling in to encourage him.   

Jayne Don Vito
Guest Prayer Blogger
Calvary Community Church of Brea