MOMMY, PLEASE KISS ME
MIKE CUNNINGHAM
MOTHER’S DAY 2013

This year’s Mother’s Day is just ten days shy of my 80th birthday. It appears that I’m getting up there in age. From the depths of my sentimental heart I truly believe that my Mom was the ideal mother for me just as the woman who is the mother of our children is the perfect wife for me. I thank God often throughout the year for blessing me greatly though these two women. I can’t help wondering how many men can echo my sentiment.

To honor our mothers I’ve decided to devote today’s sermon to them. And just as I did for Christmas I will be telling inspiring stories from other folks about mothers and their children. I love being around little kids. They have made many a day for me. You never know what’s apt to pop out of their mouth. For instance, I know of an 8 year old kid whose 3rd grade homework assignment was to explain why he believes in God. The following is a sampling of what he came up with.

“One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so that there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grown-ups, just babies; I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way He doesn’t have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.

God’s second most is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting His time by going over your Mom and Dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.

You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God. Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides, the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.

If you don’t believe in God, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It’s good to know He’s around you when you’re scared in the dark or when you can’t swim and get thrown into real deep water by big kids. But… you shouldn’t just always think about what God can do for you. I figure God put me here to help Him, and He can take me back anytime. Anyway, that’s why I believe in God.

Allow me to share the following true story by K. J. Kehler.

“Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow into (complete) salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).

During a Bible study with our JESUS film team in Mexico, we discussed the meaning of the above verse. A medical doctor in our group pointed out that the verse read “newborn babies,” not simply “babies.” He said that he had delivered more than 180 babies in his lifetime and the only thing that newborn baby’s desire is the milk from their mother’s breast. They could not live without it. The mother’s milk nourishes them physically, but at the same time, they are being nourished emotionally, because they are being held, cuddled and loved, while being fed.

A mother delights in her child. I have often observed our daughter Val nursing her babies. She looks at the baby with the tender, adoring eyes of one who is still amazed at the wonder and miracle of a newborn babe. A mother will give her life to protect her little child.

We are told to desire the Word as newborn babies desire their mothers’ breast. We receive nourishment, not for our bodies, but for our souls. And even more than an earthly mother, our heavenly Father delights in us. He “loves us with an everlasting love.”

When we spend time in the Word with God, we receive the love and protection (cuddling, if you will) every person needs and desires. We never outgrow that need. And like every baby, we will never be spiritually or emotionally healthy without the spiritual and emotional nourishment from God. Is it any wonder that the enemy of our souls uses every tactic to keep us from spending time with our heavenly Father and His Word? If he succeeds, our growth is sure to be stunted. We become handicapped-emotionally and spiritually. And this could affect our physical health. God yearns to show us how much He loves us. We only have to receive it from Him.

Lord, because You provide everything we need, give us the craving to spend time with You and the Word – more than new born babies crave their mother’s milk. Amen”

Here’s the second story for this Mother’s Day.

“For most of her adult life, Stephanie Chung led a double life. In public she was the beautiful and talented wife of successful businessman, Peter Chung. A concert pianist, she was a celebrity in her own right. But what most people didn’t know was that at home in her private life she struggled almost daily against the depression and stigma that came with being the mother of a severely handicapped son. In Stephanie’s Korean culture, families are reluctant to admit to having children with disabilities. In fact, they are regarded as being a disgrace to their parents and bringing misfortune upon their families. For this reason, many people hide their disabled children and don’t ever acknowledge their existence outside of the home.

Stephanie had five children. Her first child, Joseph, was born with autism but she wasn’t aware of it for a number of years. She noticed that there was a slight difference between her first two sons. But it wasn’t until she tried enrolling him in preschool that Stephanie realized just how different Joseph really was. “I think you should take Joseph to a doctor,” the preschool teacher told her. Still Stephanie was sure it was just a matter of cultural or language differences that made her oldest son different from his peers. She decided to find a Korean preschool and bring him there. However it wasn’t long before his new preschool teacher suggested he might have some learning disabilities and maybe he should see a doctor.

Sure enough, doctors diagnosed Joseph with autism, a condition Stephanie had never heard of before. When she realized there was no cure for her son, she sank into a deep depression. You see, in her culture, a disabled child is considered a disgrace and it’s not unusual for families to hide their disabled children away. In her darkest hours, filled with shame and hurt, Stephanie questioned why she or her son had ever been born. Finally she learned how to live a double life. In public she seemed like she had a perfect life. Her husband was a successful businessman; she herself was a concert pianist. But few people saw the pain she suffered in private.

When Joseph was about 8 his school went on a field trip –swimming at the ocean. Stephanie was consumed with last minute details for a wedding being held at their home that weekend. Swimming was one activity Joseph excelled at and he was eager to be off for the day. That afternoon, Stephanie received a phone call that would change her life forever. Her son was in the hospital from a drowning accident. When Stephanie asked if they’d been able to revive him but the voice on the end of the line would only say, “Drive safely!” In that instant Stephanie realized she didn’t care if her son was handicapped; she only wanted him to be alive.

The ten minute drive to the hospital seemed to take forever. Stephanie pleaded with God to spare her son’s life. At the hospital, the prognosis was dire. Her son had been found by a surfer, floating in the ocean. By the time they’d gotten help, he’d ingested so much water that doctors said if he didn’t regain consciousness within 48 hours; they should disconnect him from life support. Stephanie stayed by her eldest son’s side that night, begging God to forgive her for her sinful attitude and to let Joseph live. The next morning she softly called Joseph’s name and his eyes opened. Her prayers had been answered!

Somehow, during that awful night, everything changed for Stephanie. Her depression lifted. She says, “before I used to complain and ask God, ‘Why me?’ Nothing has changed for Joseph and yet now I am so thankful for him; so full of love towards him.”

And instead of hiding away, mired in depression, Stephanie focused on God’s plan for her. She says that despite the depression and the feelings of self pity and anger, in her heart of hearts she always knew that God loved her. This was the string holding her to God and the hope which enabled her to carry on. And now she knows that instead of allowing negative feelings to overwhelm her, she needs to pour out her heart to the God who loves her and who alone knows the plan and the purpose for Joseph’s life – as well as her own.

God used a seemingly random occurrence to reveal his plan for Stephanie and Joseph. Stephanie was scheduled to accompany a famous Korean singer at a concert in Vancouver. A local reporter contacted Stephanie to interview her to get the ‘local angel.’ Usually when she was interviewed, and the topic of her family came up, Stephanie would skim over each child very quickly, in particular avoiding the topic of her oldest son, Joseph. For some reason on this day, the interviewer pressed her for information about him. Without thinking, Stephanie blurted out, “he’s handicapped, and he’s a blessing.” Well, when the interview was printed the title was, “Stephanie Chung has an angel; his name is Joseph.” And there was barely a word about the concert in the article!

Up until now, some people had known that Stephanie and Peter had an autistic son, but it certainly hadn’t been something that was widely known. With this article, not only was she letting the world know about Joseph’s condition, she was telling them how proud she was of him and that he was indeed one of the biggest blessings in her life. Through the article, Stephanie invited women in similar situations to contact her. “I knew what these women were going through,” shares Stephanie, “I’d been there. I wanted to be that shoulder for them, to hug them, cry with them, and let them know it would be okay.”

Still, she was amazed when the phone calls started. Not long after the article was published, Stephanie met with four other moms at a local restaurant. They met as strangers. After two hours of sharing their common pain, their loneliness and their frustrations, they left as sisters. From these women meeting together a Bethesda Parents’ Society was formed. At first it was just the five of them. They met once a month and pooled their resources and their own experiences to help each other. They laughed and cried together. Eventually God told Stephanie to start a Bible Study. Stephanie knew from her own experience that she couldn’t have made it without God. “Sure, other people comforted me throughout this, but true comfort and peace; you can only get that from God.”

And that was the message that the small Bible study talked about each week. At first it was just the core five women: 3 Christians, an agnostic and a Buddhist. But within six months the Buddhist mother had committed her life to Christ. Not long after this the women were talking and her friend exhorted her, “You know, Joseph is a missionary. It’s because of him that you started this group and without this group I would never have become a Christian.”

Tears begin to fall as Stephanie shared with me, “I’d never shared this with anyone before. But when I was pregnant with Joseph, my husband, my pastor and I prayed together. I told God that I wanted to give my son to Him, to be a servant. I was hoping that he would be a pastor or a missionary.”She continued, “I’ve always quoted Jeremiah 29:11: ‘For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper and not to harm you. ‘But when it came to Joseph I always thought that God had to heal him before he could fulfill God’s plans for him. My friend showed me that God was already using Joseph.”

The third story that I’ve selected for you folks is from Breakpoint May 2007.

“This Sunday is Mother’s Day. It’s the day when Americans remember and celebrate the contributions and sacrifices their moms have made on their behalf. In honor of Mother’s Day, I’d like to tell you a story about one mother whose devotion shaped not only her son’s life but countless others, as well.

Her name was Monica. A Christian, she was married to a prominent man who wasn’t a believer. He was unfaithful and even beat her at times. Monica’s response was to go to church every day and pray for his conversion. She hoped that by setting a godly example, even in the midst of her mistreatment, she might win him over. And that’s exactly what happened.

The suffering and anguish caused by her husband paled before what Monica’s oldest son put her through. He lived a dissolute life, devoted to pleasure. He left one mistress and took up with another. His only son was born out-of-wedlock.

His lack of faith and rejection of Christian truth hurt Monica even more. He belittled her beliefs and seemed to go out of his way to embrace Christianity’s competitors for the hearts and, especially, minds of his contemporaries. He later recalled how his being “dead [to] that faith and spirit which,” as he put it, “[my mother] had from You… O, Lord” made her weep.

Still, Monica never gave up. The greatest preacher of the time, knowing of her prayers and tears for her son, told her that “it is impossible that the son of so many tears should perish.”

That preacher, Bishop Ambrose of Milan, was right. At the age of 35, Monica’s son, Augustine, became a Christian and was baptized, along with his son, Adeodatus, by Ambrose. A few months later, on the way home to Hippo with Augustine and Adeodatus, Monica fell ill and died.

Monica could not have known that her prayers and devotion would affect not only the life of her son but also the course of history. Her concern was that her son believe “the truth which is in Jesus.”

This devotion to the spiritual welfare of her son is why Monica is regarded as the model for all Christian mothers. Like Susannah Wesley, her zeal for the salvation of her son had an impact far beyond anything she could have imagined.

Her concern was not only that her son give up his debauchery, as important as that was. Monica was determined that he embrace the truth of Christianity. She prayed that he would renounce false worldviews and put his sharp mind to the service of Christian truth.

And that’s exactly what he did. Augustine championed the Christian worldview against the false alternatives of his day. Much of what Christians believe today was first and best articulated by Monica’s son. His writings, the Confessions and the City of God, are considered classics, not only of the Christian faith, but also of all of Western culture and civilization. Those books have profoundly shaped me and my ministry.

While there can be only one Monica and Augustine, every Christian mother-and father, for that matter-should be concerned with their kids’ worldviews. Praying for them and teaching them to seek after Christian truth is a solemn duty on our part and a contribution they will always remember, whether it is Mother’s Day or any other day of the year.”

Now here’s my last story for this Mother’s Day. It was written quite some time ago and it’s the one that reminded me of my mom and my wife the most.

“A certain Mr. Gladstone gave a touching story in Parliament many years ago when announcing the death of the Princess Alice. Her little boy was ill with diphtheria, and the mother had been cautioned not to inhale the poisoned breath. The child was tossing in a delirium of fever. The Princess stood beside him and laid her hand on his brow to caress him. The touch cooled the fevered brain, and brought back the wandering soul from its wild delirium. He nestled a moment in his mother’s lap; then, throwing his arms around her neck, he whispered, “Mommy, please kiss me.” Mother-love was stronger than all the cautions of physicians–and she pressed her lips to the child’s. The result was her death.

You say that she was foolish. Yet where is the mother who would not have done the same? Love stops at no peril, at no sacrifice. There was great peril in Christ’s own mission to this world. In His marvelous love for us, He put his lips to the poison of our sin–and died in our place! “Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for her!” Ephesians 5:25 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep!” John 10:11.”

Lord willing, …. next week.