Dear Friends, Beloved of God,

Most of us are keenly aware that this Sunday is Mother’s Day. For some of us this day will bring deep joy. For others of us there will be deep disappointments. Let’s face it. Often on days like this we hope in the wrong things.

The pictures in magazines, television commercials or Facebook posts can inform our views of what Mother’s Day looks like: a happy family with all sending or bringing cards or gifts or expressions of gratitude and love to us as mothers. (I’ve yet to see a FB picture of a mother with tears running down her face because there was an empty place at the table.) Of course the truth is that we live in a broken world, not a perfect world. Heaven is later. Some of us do not have children. Some of us do not have children who respond in generous or gracious ways. Some have children who “rise up and call [us] blessed” and some have children who just rise up and call us! And some receive no calls at all, nor the love that should motivate such a call.

At times, days like this can bring regret about former days of parenting. Or regret in how well we loved our own mothers who may no longer be with us. Or that we did not get the love from our mothers we longed for. Too, the difficulties our children struggle with can be highlighted in our hearts by such Hallmark days.  Some of us will deeply miss those who are not with us, spatially or emotionally. And we grieve. God gave us tears for such occasions. He understands.

Some of our families will have joyous celebrations and for that we can all rejoice. God rejoices with us. He loves a good party. (Think about the Father in the account of the Prodigal coming home.) Joy is the serious business of Heaven, as someone has said.) We can also give thanks for the gift of family love.

This morning, I have been thinking of other reasons we can all rejoice.  I have been thinking and most thankful for some glimpses into how God relates to us with perfect mother love.

“Can a mother forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.  Behold, I have you inscribed on the palms of my hands; your wants are continually before me”
(Isaiah 49:15).

Your name is imprinted on His nail-pierced hands and He will never, even this Sunday, forget you. He understands your heart, He forgives the things you regret as you turn to Him in humility and repentance. He is a constant and loving parent to YOU. And to me. Plus, we know He can transform the brokenness in us or in others into something beautiful in His time— the beauty of Jesus. Let us lay those regrets and hurts, sometimes caused by neglect and disrespect, down at the foot of His cross and sail on, learning to forgive just as He has forgiven us. Not always a one time thing, this laying down of hurts and regrets. Not always easy. But doable with His help. And God longs to help.

Next, I saw God’s heart in the words of Jesus when He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem (dear Jerusalem)....How often I wanted to gather your children together under my wings the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings....” God longs to have us close to Him. He longs to have our children, who are His children too, close to Him. He desires to protect and provide safety. This is God’s longing, loving heart. How thankful I am for this picture of His love.

Of course the verse finishes with the sad words “but you were unwilling” (Matthew 23:37). Is this not how some of us feel about some of our children at times? There is great encouragement here in the way God both longs for us and also understands when we long for our children in the same way. If you or I are in this place today as far as our children or grandchildren go, now is the time to pray, to draw close to a loving God. To tell Him all. To hear Him.

For He is the One we can hope in as He is continually working to bring His children home. He is ready to stay close to us in the waiting, to hold us steady even in grief, to bring us peace beyond understanding. Remember we can pray in both our “anguish and our adoration.” He is not put off by our weakness.

Psalm 131 assures me that God welcomes me in times of unrest, as good mother love would. “Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests upon his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord!” David, the psalmist, knew there was always a welcome in God’s heart. Otherwise why would he draw near and rest in quietness? When we lean on God, under His wings as it were, there is comfort and strength and manna for the day. Even for Mother’s Day. He will never forget us. Our hope is in Him.

May each of us be supremely thankful and joyful this Mother’s Day, knowing we are blessed as our hope is in Him.

Loved and sending love your way,Carolyn