By what name do you call your mother? I am not sure why, but from the beginning my sister, my brother and I have called our mother, “Momma.” I am so blessed that my mother is still living, and at age 87 she often tells me that one of the most beautiful sounds for her to hear is that all her children still call her “Momma.” For me, one of the most beautiful sounds for me to hear is when my mother tells me that she loves me. Each time we end a conversation, Momma always says, “I love you sooooo much.”
Mother’s Day is a special day for remembering our mothers and to remember all that they have done for us, all they mean to us, and who we are because of them. God knit us together in our mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13-14: "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." What a joy and blessing it is for a mother to hold her newborn child and then to hold her child’s hand throughout life. The love of a mother for her child is the closest thing to the love of God for mankind and especially His love for His children. From the time of conception, there is a bond between mother and child that is sacred in God’s eyes.
The Bible tells us about the special relationship that Jesus had with his own mother. Luke 2:51-52 “Then Jesus went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Even on the cross he cared for his mother by asking John to take over her care. John 19:25-27 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother…When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
My sister and I are only 18 months apart in age and my brother is 18 years younger than me. We grew up on a farm in north Missouri and our mother was given to us by God to care for us, provide for us, to teach us His ways, and to love us even in our ups and downs. She was always there guiding and praying, comforting and protecting, cheering us on, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. She taught us how to work hard work, live frugally, give generously, save, build, dream, and rely on the Lord. As her children we boldly declare with Proverbs 31:28 "Her children rise up and call her blessed.
God also placed three other amazing mothers in my life, my Grandma Baugher, my Grandma Berry, and my mother-in-law. I cherish the time, love, and devotion they invested in my life up until God called them home to glory. This scripture passage describes the kind of love these special women demonstrated on a daily basis. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
The endless love of one’s mother is best understood when a daughter becomes a mother herself. When I became a mother and experienced my love for my own child, I had a much deeper understanding of a mother’s love. God blessed Chuck and me with one son. He was such a joy to us as he grew up. When our children are young, we often wonder if we will make it through the lack of sleep and exhaustion we experience when they are little. We often joked that we were known as Greg’s parents, not our own identity during his teenage years. Now that our son is grown, I treasure all the stages of his maturing to adulthood and now as he leads his family to trust and obey God. My most important job as his mother was to help lead him to put his faith and trust in Jesus and demonstrate to him my love for God’s word each day. Deuteronomy 6:6–7: "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Proverbs 1:8-9: "Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck."
I could sum up my love as a mother with this scripture, “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in truth. 3 John 4
Now I have taken on a new role as a grandmother, I cherish the opportunity to witness how God is using my daughter-in-law as an amazing mother in my grandchildren’s lives. Proverbs 31:26: "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." 1 Peter 3:4: "You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."
My prayer as a grandmother is, “Jesus please help me to inhale your grace and pass it on as a legacy of faith.” Deuteronomy 4:9: "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them."
Sometimes not all mother and child relationships weather the storms of this life and many are broken. Maybe you did not grow up having good role models or maybe you were in situations you never wanted to be in. Maybe you have a wayward child who does not want a relationship with you. We know that broken relationships grieve the heart of God. There’s no perfect mother and there’s no perfect child. All relationships need forgiveness and a readiness to give grace to each other. Apologizing to your children when you lose your temper or make a mistake shows them what grace and forgiveness look like. Colossians 3:13: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you”.
In addition to celebrating our mothers who are with us, we also remember our mothers (and grandmothers) who are no longer living, and now dwell only in our hearts. We also remember women who do not have the child that they so desperately wanted to love. You may have lost a child through death or through miscarriage, and we seek God’s comfort for you. You can rest in the promise of God’s unconditional love for you and for your child lost through death or miscarriage.
Please take time this Mother’s Day to let the mothers around you know how special they are. Whether a mother by birth, by adoption, by love, or by grace, today we celebrate the women who love us through it all. Today we celebrate all they are and have done, their endless sacrifice, and their unconditional love.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO EACH OF YOU
And HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY MOMMA—I love you soooo much!