What is Mother’s Day mean for you?
Mother’s Day is coming up in two days (Guys, this is your advance warning in case you forgot). Many of us have different experiences on Mother’s Day. For many it is a day of celebration. For others it is a day of sadness because they have lost their mother or have a poor relationship with their mother (or even their children). For some ladies, because they are unable to have children, it is an ever-present reminder of pain and loss. These things are not normally emphasized as we think of Mother’s Day, but they are a sad reality for many. I remember the first time this heart-breaking truth was brought home to me.
I was in 7th grade. The youth at our church were responsible to be at each exit of the church and handing out carnations to each mother as she exited from worship. Our congregation was about 300 at the time and we didn’t always know if the woman coming out were mothers or not. I saw a man who at the time I thought to be ancient (although probably he was just retirement age), and trying to be silly I said, “You aren’t a mother, you don’t get one of these.”
He misheard me and thought I said, “You don’t have a mother and can’t have one.” Immediately, tears welled up in his eyes and began to pour down his cheeks as he began to share that his mother had been dead for several years and he still missed her. I felt about two inches tall, but I came to an understanding that day – Mother’s Day is not happy for everyone.
As I was thinking about what the Lord might have me say to you today, I believe he brought me to a passage of comfort. Many people (aside from Mother’s Day) feel loss, alone, forgotten and estranged from people and from God. If that is you, I would like to assure you: You are not forgotten. You are not alone. You are loved.
“But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’ Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands….” (Isaiah 49:14-16)
In this passage the people of God felt alone, abandoned by God, and in exile. God’s emphatic response to them was – “That’s ridiculous! There is no way I could forget my precious child!” He goes on to say if it were possible, however unlikely, that a mother could forget the child she was breastfeeding and just get up and walk away with the child hanging there… it would be impossible for God to forget you. He has even engraved a reminder of you on His hand so that whatever He does, He is reminded of you.
So, friend, whatever you are doing today, whatever loss or fear or depressive weight you are experiencing today, remember that El Roi (the God who sees) sees you (Gen. 16:6-13). He knows you (Psalm 139:1-4). He loves you (John 13:13-15, Rom. 5:8, 1 John 4:10).
Be encouraged with the knowledge that God was thinking of you and designed this message of love for you today!
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