I’m sure that some of you read the title of today’s devotional and thought it must be a typo or mistake, but it isn’t. The title is a reflection of the reality many people face today. This devotional is dedicated to those who feel “motherless” as the world celebrates Mother’s Day. Yes, you…I’m talking to YOU…this devotional is for YOU! God is a father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5), but God is also a mother to the motherless. God sees you, God hears you, loves you, and wants you to be healed, happy, healthy, and whole.
Today the world celebrates mothers in all their glory. Most sermons today will highlight the importance of mothers, how wonderful mothers are, and will honor and uplift mothers around the world. Department stores have Mother’s Day displays, gifts, flowers, and sales galore this weekend. Hallmark Mother’s Day cards are being sold out as I type. I have been blessed with a wonderful mother and I thank God for her, but I understand that’s not the story for everyone. Not everyone sees today as a day of celebration.
Some of you may have experienced the death of your mother making today tough for you. Some of you may be mothers and experienced the death of a child, so it’s hard for you to celebrate today. Some of you may be adopted or spent your life in foster homes never getting the opportunity get to know your biological mother. Some of you may have mothers who suffered from mental illness, alcoholism, depression, or were abusive, distant, manipulative, void of emotion and affection, or just plain cruel. Some of you may have estranged relationships with your mother and have learned to love her from a distance to keep from being hurt and disappointed again. Maybe your mother is imprisoned and you haven’t been able to have a relationship with her in years. Maybe your mother abandoned you. Maybe, because of these things, you struggle with the notion of giving your mother the luxury to be considered a mother today, or any other day for that matter. Wherever you fall in this spectrum, God wants you to know you’re loved and that She is a mother to the motherless.
God sees “the trouble of the afflicted; considers their grief and takes it in hand” (Psalm 10:14). God wants to comfort you on this day. You may never have the type of relationship with your mother that you desire, but you can have a relationship with God that can provide more than any human relationship ever could. You may ask: How can God be my mother? Well God is neither male nor female. God is God. Despite the typical use of masculine pronouns to refer to God, God transcends such categories and we cannot put God in a box. God gave birth to mankind (Deuteronomy 32:18), labors with us just like a mother, and even is even referred to as being like a woman in childbirth (Isaiah 42:14). God uses the Holy Spirit to comfort us in our time of need and sorrow just as a good mother would. In speaking about God, David even refers to himself as being “… like a weaned child with its mother” (Psalm 131:2). So yes, God can be a mother... your mother.
To the mothers who have made mistakes in the past with your children and are trying to write your wrongs, God sees you too. To the children who keep trying to establish a relationship with a distant mother, and have given up after disappointment after disappointment, God sees you. To everyone in between, GOD SEES YOU. ALL GOD WANTS TO DO TODAY IS TO LOVE ON YOU.
ALL things work for the good of those who love God, who have been called according to Her purpose (Romans 8:28). Whatever you feel you lack from your earthly mother (i.e. love, peace, comfort, joy, protection, provision, stability, encouragement, affection, wisdom, and so forth) can be found in God. God’s love can fill the void… yes THAT void. You’re not motherless because God is with you. Let God use your pain to work for your good. Question is, will you allow God the opportunity to convince you that She can be a mother to the motherless?
Comments