Maybe not such a Happy Mothers Day....??
Happy Mother's Day!
But is it really a happy one for you? For some of us, it just isn’t a day filled with joy. For some, the loss of a mom who was a best friend is more than you can bear. For others who suffered under the hand (or words) of an abusive mom, you may fight depression or even anger on this day.
Maybe you’ve dreamed of being a mom, and this day stings (Every. Single. Year.)
You may dread the moment when moms are honored at church because you’re reminded, once again, of your infertility or the loss of your beloved child.
There are women who feel the shame of abortion, and this day pricks at a scar in their hearts. For the single woman—whether or not there is a desire for children—there is often the feeling of being left out.
To each of you: we see you, and we weep with you. Most importantly, God, the Giver of your life, sees you and is near to your broken heart (Psalm 34:18).
In light of this pain, why would a church even mention this day? Isn’t it just a holiday that’s been commercialized by greeting card companies? I hear that a lot. In some ways, I agree. However, I believe that when we shift our gaze beyond the commemorative observation on the calendar and look to the God who made woman, we find a deeper reason to celebrate motherhood.
We all have a mother. Each of our lives began in the womb of a woman. We were knit together (Psalm 139:13) in that hidden place by God’s hand and design. It has never been different! To be born as a baby is to be born of a woman. From the beginning of time, it was ordained that the woman, Eve, would hold within herself the burden and the blessing of motherhood.
The female body is uniquely designed by our brilliant Creator to hold space for the carrying and nurturing of new life. Though her rib was taken from man, her organs and bone structure are not the same as his. She was made to hold space for mothering. Even her hormones, which affect the makeup of her brain, were artistically designed to help her care deeply and nurture others.
Ladies, we were created to hold space for others! With or without a child to hold, women were designed in their very biology to help, nurture, reproduce, and invest in the lives of others. When you couple that with the Great Commission (Matthew 28) and the call for women to disciple other women (Titus 2), you begin to see that there is a kind of mothering to which all women are called.
We are called—and even more exciting, we are equipped—for it by God’s Word! The stained and broken places in this life surrounding motherhood—death, abuse, loss, infertility, abortion—are no match for the power of God’s Word to work in you and through you. As the gospel calls us “members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19) and even tells us that family isn’t only physical (Mark 3:33–35), we see that motherhood holds a deeper meaning - a spiritual one.
The mission of motherhood, whether physical or spiritual… (or both!)… is a high calling.
On this Mother’s Day, let your hearts be filled with gratitude to God, who has called you and equipped you to live out this mission for His glory. What a privilege!