Mothers Day Exhortation

(Genesis 1:26–27) Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

  

The glory of God is so great that it requires the combined efforts and collective image bearing capacities of two genders: male and female. And although image-bearing is implicit in all that we do as men and women, certain offices and duties are uniquely weighted with revelations of God’s goodness and love. Take for instance those who bear the office of Mother.

  

-    Mothers bear the image of their Creator when they bring into existence something that bears resemblance to them and yet is completely unique and separate from them.

-    Mothers bear the image of their Creator when they bring children into existence knowing in advance that they will be difficult, selfish, ungrateful and who at times will be so busy with their own agendas that they will fail to adequately stay in touch.

-    Mothers bear the image of their Creator when they bring children into existence, not for what the children can do for them, but rather as objects of their intense love and unflagging devotion; little people upon whom to lavish affection, encouragement, provision and praise.

-    Mothers bear the image of their Creator when they lovingly perform a thousand selfless deeds for their children accompanied by a thousand gifts of service and are happily content to have one or two acknowledged and praised.

-    Mothers bear the image of their Creator when they willingly take responsibility to wipe their children clean from the filth that their children continually produce or glop on themselves from without and are quite helpless to do anything about. And this they do no matter how frequently or ceaselessly their children smudge, smear and soil themselves.

-    Mothers bear the image of their Creator when they teach, and then re-teach, and then re-re-teach the same lessons over and over again, patiently committed to teach the lessons as many times as it takes for the wisdom to take root in the hearts of their children.

-    Mothers bear the image of their Creator when they become fiercely angry and ferociously intimidating towards anyone or anything that would seek to do harm to their little ones.

-    Mothers bear the image of their Creator when they, just like the Lord God, are perfectly easy to please, and forever impossible to satisfy. Ever eager to acknowledge and praise the smallest of their children’s victories and accomplishments, and ever wanting for them more than they are able to ask or imagine.

And so, moms, we sons and daughters thank you from the very bottom of our hearts, not merely for your myriad acts of love and service. But for the countless ways that you displayed and revealed to us the big-hearted goodness and never-ending love of our Creator God. To Him be all glory and praise!