May
I hope every mother reading this has had a wonderful Mother’s Day. Do you realize how much God loves you? I hope so! For my own sake this year I looked up verses in the Bible about God’s love and attention to mothers and I thought I would share them with you.
Isaiah 40:11 says, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those who have young.” There are so many times that I cry out to God in confusion. Perhaps my child is struggling with a problem for which there is no easy answer. Perhaps there is a discipline problem that I am struggling to break. What a joy to know that the Lord is leading me. When motherhood drives me to my knees my Heavenly Father hears my prayers and tenderly leads. There is a beautiful example of the heart of Jesus toward a mother in Luke 7:11-17. A woman’s son has died and they are carrying out his body. This poor woman is already a widow and now her only son is dead. Verse 13 says, “When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.’” You can guess what happened next. Jesus healed the boy and he was restored to his mother. It is these words that catch me: “his heart went out to her.” How loving! This is the God we serve, a God that tenderly loves us!
Not only does God tenderly love us as mothers, but our unique love for our children and influence in our children’s lives is acknowledged in Scripture. God’s love for His people is compared to the love of a mother for her children in Isaiah 66:13: “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” Paul the Apostles’ love for the people to which he ministered is compared to a mother’s love in 1 Thess. 2:6b-7: “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.” Paul acknowledges a mother’s (and grandmother’s) ministry to her child in 2 Timothy 1:5: “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded now lives in you also.” It is very sad to me that many people in the world believe that women are devalued by the Scriptures. But this is just not true. There is an honor and tenderness attached to the role of women and the role of mother in the Bible.
God protects mothers by instructing husbands to love their wives and to treat them gently. Eph. 5:25 instructs: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave him up for her…” 1 Peter 3:7 further instructs: “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” These passages make it very clear that God is serious about the manner in which husbands treat their wives.
Dear mothers, do you see how the Lord loves you? Motherhood is a great challenge. Isn’t it such a comfort to know the Lord tenderly leads us? Have a Happy Mother’s Day!
Praise Him!
Karen Twombly
(You can reach Karen at karen@t2chk.org)
