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" Can a woman 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 inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me."
Isaiah 49: 15-16
Dedicated to all the amazing women who made us who we are:
Bette Midler: "You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItWIYcD6jas
"While many of us are busy with last minute purchases of flowers or chocolates for mom, or making luncheon reservations, it might do good to remember that the roots of Mother’s Day in America. Anna Jarvis sought to honor her mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis, who was a humanitarian and peace activist. The elder Jarvis treated wounded soldiers on both sides of the Civil War and created women’s friendship circles to promote reconciliation. She created Mothers’ Day Work Club to address public health concerns. Once the holiday became commercialized, Anna Jarvis sought to have it rescinded.
So let us enjoy our Mother’s Day treats, but let us not forget the dream of Anna Reeves Jarvis, the inspiration of Mothers’ Day: that the mothering instinct at its finest finds it source in the divine, what some like to call Shekinah, the holy indwelling spirit of God. This Spirit nurtures, inspires, pushes, defends and calls us onward always to new life. While we know God exists beyond gender, we are so accustomed to masculine images that contemplating feminine images is a spiritually healthy practice.
As a special Mother’s Day treat, I am including the devotional that my friend, Dorette Saunders sent out earlier this week. May it bless your spirit as it did mine!
“It’s been said that the florists and chocolatiers have a field day in
The days leading up to Mother’s Day. The holiday was officially celebrated In the US in 1914 and has continued faithfully to this day. Why all the fuss? Consider this: None of us would be here if it weren’t for our mothers.
Despite the fact that women in biblical times lived in a
Patriarchal society, the Bible has a lot to say about the influence of mothers on their children, and the sacrifices they made for them. Hannah, Samuel the prophet’ s mother, offered him as a young child back to God so he could serve as a priest in the temple (1 Samuel 1:1-26). Jochebed, Moses’ mother, saved him from the genocide Pharaoh orchestrated by hiding the young child in a basket among the bulrushes along the Nile (Exodus 2:1-10). Mary, the mother of Jesus, was willing to risk the shame and the consequences of being unmarried and pregnant in order to be obedient to the will of God (Luke 1:26-35). The Syro-Phoenician woman, whose daughter was tormented by demons,
refused to be denied, and told Jesus she was willing to take even a “crumb” of his healing power so her daughter would be made well (Matthew 15:21-28). Those who are mothers know that being a mother is not an easy task, and it is a job that does not come with a retirement package. In fact, in the majority of cases, no matter how empty the nest or how high her kids are flying, or what kind of trouble her offspring gets into, the DNA (Do Not Abandon) gene in these mothers remains intact.
What’s the role of a godly mother? Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, puts it succinctly: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). We know that such instruction is wise because\ the apostle Paul commends the faith of his protegee Timothy, which was passed down to him from his family saying:” I also remember the genuine faith of your mother Eunice. Your grandmother Lois had the same sort of faith, and I am sure that you will have it as well” (2 Tim. 1:5,6).
This Mother’s Day, as you recall your own mother, remember those who are surrogates, grandmothers, godmothers, foster mothers, and those countless amazing women who nurture from a heart of love. Say a special prayer for them. Remember, too, to forgive those who are not and may not have been the mothers we would have liked them to be. Ask God to extend his grace to them as well.”
To sign up for Dee's weekly devotional, Wednesday's Word, email [email protected].
Pray: "Mother God, on this Mother's Day week end, open our eyes to all who need your mothering care. May we be the surrogate mothers, the spiritual mothers to those who need love, nurture, guidance and hope."
" Can a woman 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 inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me."
Isaiah 49: 15-16
Dedicated to all the amazing women who made us who we are:
Bette Midler: "You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItWIYcD6jas
"While many of us are busy with last minute purchases of flowers or chocolates for mom, or making luncheon reservations, it might do good to remember that the roots of Mother’s Day in America. Anna Jarvis sought to honor her mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis, who was a humanitarian and peace activist. The elder Jarvis treated wounded soldiers on both sides of the Civil War and created women’s friendship circles to promote reconciliation. She created Mothers’ Day Work Club to address public health concerns. Once the holiday became commercialized, Anna Jarvis sought to have it rescinded.
So let us enjoy our Mother’s Day treats, but let us not forget the dream of Anna Reeves Jarvis, the inspiration of Mothers’ Day: that the mothering instinct at its finest finds it source in the divine, what some like to call Shekinah, the holy indwelling spirit of God. This Spirit nurtures, inspires, pushes, defends and calls us onward always to new life. While we know God exists beyond gender, we are so accustomed to masculine images that contemplating feminine images is a spiritually healthy practice.
As a special Mother’s Day treat, I am including the devotional that my friend, Dorette Saunders sent out earlier this week. May it bless your spirit as it did mine!
“It’s been said that the florists and chocolatiers have a field day in
The days leading up to Mother’s Day. The holiday was officially celebrated In the US in 1914 and has continued faithfully to this day. Why all the fuss? Consider this: None of us would be here if it weren’t for our mothers.
Despite the fact that women in biblical times lived in a
Patriarchal society, the Bible has a lot to say about the influence of mothers on their children, and the sacrifices they made for them. Hannah, Samuel the prophet’ s mother, offered him as a young child back to God so he could serve as a priest in the temple (1 Samuel 1:1-26). Jochebed, Moses’ mother, saved him from the genocide Pharaoh orchestrated by hiding the young child in a basket among the bulrushes along the Nile (Exodus 2:1-10). Mary, the mother of Jesus, was willing to risk the shame and the consequences of being unmarried and pregnant in order to be obedient to the will of God (Luke 1:26-35). The Syro-Phoenician woman, whose daughter was tormented by demons,
refused to be denied, and told Jesus she was willing to take even a “crumb” of his healing power so her daughter would be made well (Matthew 15:21-28). Those who are mothers know that being a mother is not an easy task, and it is a job that does not come with a retirement package. In fact, in the majority of cases, no matter how empty the nest or how high her kids are flying, or what kind of trouble her offspring gets into, the DNA (Do Not Abandon) gene in these mothers remains intact.
What’s the role of a godly mother? Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, puts it succinctly: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). We know that such instruction is wise because\ the apostle Paul commends the faith of his protegee Timothy, which was passed down to him from his family saying:” I also remember the genuine faith of your mother Eunice. Your grandmother Lois had the same sort of faith, and I am sure that you will have it as well” (2 Tim. 1:5,6).
This Mother’s Day, as you recall your own mother, remember those who are surrogates, grandmothers, godmothers, foster mothers, and those countless amazing women who nurture from a heart of love. Say a special prayer for them. Remember, too, to forgive those who are not and may not have been the mothers we would have liked them to be. Ask God to extend his grace to them as well.”
To sign up for Dee's weekly devotional, Wednesday's Word, email [email protected].
Pray: "Mother God, on this Mother's Day week end, open our eyes to all who need your mothering care. May we be the surrogate mothers, the spiritual mothers to those who need love, nurture, guidance and hope."
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