Mother's Day and the Motherly Attributes of God

On Sunday, we celebrate the women in our lives who hold a special title called, Mother. This is a hard day for a lot of people. Some did not have good mothers, some were not able to be mother, and others have had their motherhood rejected by their children. On days like Mother’s Day, I’m reminded of the complexity of issues at hand and our call to be Family to one another. Thankfully, I have an incredible mother who demonstrated the love and servitude of Christ to me every day of my life. Also, thankfully, I have been blessed by so many women in my life who have taken the mantle of mother in my life when I have been geographically far from my own mom. I know a lot of women who hurt on days like Mother’s Day and I want to offer comfort to them while we celebrate our mothers.

Jesus celebrates those who keep God’s word and put them into practice as though they are his Mother and Brothers (Luke 8:21). The church needs to be filled with Mothers in the faith, giving birth to others in the faith who need someone to nurture them and bring them closer to God. I hope that while we lift up our own mothers, we also remember to celebrate those who have birthed Christ into us in our lives. These Mothers of the Faith are the backbone of many churches. I think back to the women, along with my own mother, who birthed Christ into me by their teaching, their example, and their prayers. My prayer for all of the women at Queen City is that they will embrace the role of Mother in the faith for others in their lives.

As we prepare for Sunday, I want us to reflect on the motherly attributes of God. That last sentence may have sounded weird, but we need to continually remember that when God made humanity in His image, he created male and female in His image. All that is male and all that is female is found fully together in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). In what ways do you see God showing us the perfection of motherly love? Here are four passages for reflection:

Numbers 11:12 – Moses reminds God that he is the mother of the people he is leading. He is the one who conceived them, gave them birth, and carried them, and nursed them.

Isaiah 66:7–13 – God likens himself as a mother taking care of her children. They will nurse and be satisfied.

John 3:3–8 – Jesus points to imagery that the God the Spirit gives birth to us. Only those who are born by the Spirit (and of water) are able to come into the Kingdom. 

1 Peter 2:2–3 – “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

What do each of these passages tell you about the motherly attributes of God? How does this change the way you view your mother? How does this shape the way you approach motherhood? As newborn babies, what does it look like for us to long for God and taste that the milk he provides is good?

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we continue to encourage one another to grow in our walk with God. We are each made in His image, but as we all come together in unity, the image of God comes into clearer focus.