Mother’s Day

12 May 2013

1. Introduction

· Today our focus is on honouring mothers and placing value upon mothers.

· Mother’s day will bring mixed responses from different people.

(i) Sadness            - Those who have recently lost a mother; or lost a child

                                       - Those who were abandoned or abused by a mother

(ii) Rejoicing          - Those who have happy memories and experiences by a mother.

· Today we want to acknowledge and appreciate mothers – many different mothers

      - Grandmothers                      - Mothers of teens                   - Mothers of newborns

      - Great Grandmothers            - Mothers of primary kids       - Mothers to be

      - Mothers – Kids left home     - Mothers of preschoolers

· Mothers are called to represent a unique aspect of what God is like.

· The nature of God is revealed through His design in men and women.

2. Nurture and Belonging are Key Human Needs

· Is. 49:14-16 “Can a woman forget her suckling children, that she should have compass on

the son of her womb?  They may forget, yet will I not forget you.”

· Notice the complaint God’s people make in vs14 about God

i) Forsaken = OT5800 = to abandon, to desert, to leave alone to face life.

ii) Forgotten = OT7911 = to put out of the mind, no longer think about. i.e. God doesn’t care about me, He has abandoned me. i.e. “unfriended”

· These are two very painful feelings that many people experience.

· I am on my own, no one cares about me and what I have to …

· It is a negative way of thinking – it is not true!  It is a tormenting lie.

3. How a Mother Reflects Gods Caring Nature

· Vs15. Can a woman forget her nursing child?

· God uses the picture of a mother breastfeeding her baby to describe her care.

i)    He constantly thinks about us.

· A new mother is constantly thinking about her new born child and it’s needs.

· Ps. 139:16 “How precious are your thoughts to me Oh God, how great is the sum of them.  If I should count them they are more number than of sand.”

· Now mother is concerned about child’s safety.

· Thy walls are ever before me – God is concerned about our safety, protection.

ii)   He is bonded in love to us

· There is a deep and tender bond between a mother and newborn child.

· The bond forms and develops in the womb as the child senses the mother’s spirit and love.

· 1 Cor. 6:17 “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him”.

iii)  He is responsive to our cries

· The mother of a new born child is deeply attentive to the cries of her child.  She recognises her child’s cries and even can recognise what it needs.

· Ps. 34:6 “This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all his trouble.”

· Jer. 33:3 “Call unto me and I will answer you.”

iv)  He reaches out to comfort

· A mother naturally gathers up her child to comfort and nurture with touch and words.

· Is. 66:13 “As one whom his mother comforts so will I comfort you.”

· The Holy Spirit of God is a comforter – one sent to comfort us.

· Acts 9:31 “…and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit they were multiplied.”

      NOTE: the second picture revealed to Isaiah.

Is 49:16 “I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.”

· You write on your hands things you want to be reminded of – not forget.

· God uses this picture to describe His deep connection with us.

4. Application

i) Personal response to Christ and become joined to God

· Born again – new supernatural life of God birthed within.

ii)   Confront the lie that presses and torments – “I am abandoned, forgotten”

· Reject this life – if it is rooted in painful experiences – forgive.

· Meditate on and declare the truth – “I will not forget you.”

iii)   Express appreciation in words, gifts, time to your mother.

· Express your gratitude for her sacrifices for you being there.

· “I see what God is like when I see you!”