There’s just something extra special about Mom.
We all are here because of a mom. Almost all of us were raised by a mom and most of us were blessed with a loving mom. Many of us become moms.
Moms offer love and sacrifice through the thick and thin of raising their children. With their hearts full of care, emotions can ride the rollercoaster of happiness and sorrow, peace and tension.
Even within the pages of the Bible we see glimpses of how mothers were impacted by their children.
Eve suffered heartache by her son Cain. She lost her son Abel to Cain’s jealous rage and then lost Cain to the separation from God’s discipline.
Jochebed was given hope by Moses, her son. She was asked to care for baby Moses before giving him to Pharoah’s daughter, defying the Egyptian’s king’s rule that newborn boys be killed.
Hannah declared gratitude by the birth of her only son, Samuel. She desperately longed for a child and, in an act of thankfulness to God, Hannah chose to let him go to serve the LORD.
Elizabeth exhibited joy through her son, John. She was filled with the Holy Spirit and his words as the son in her womb leaped in the presence of the preborn Messiah.
Mary endured many noteworthy emotions because of her miraculous son. She felt wonder when Jesus first was in her womb, curiosity when Jesus was worshiped by the shepherds and wisemen, delight when Jesus turned water to wine on her request, heartache when Jesus was crucified.
Each of these mothers, as any mother would, felt a range of feelings as they nurtured, loved, protected, raised… and then let their children go.
Some qualities of God are even described in motherly ways when he speaks of his people.
God said to the Israelites, “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you” (Isaiah 66:13 ESV) and “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you” (49:15). In Hosea 11:3-4 we read God’s words, “Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them” (ESV).
Each day of our life, God offers us his direction, comfort, care, and compassion.
Are we noticing? Are we thanking him? Are we passing his love along to others?
Parents, help your child understand God’s loving care as you work through a Do LAPS! book with them.