Today is Mother's Day! What does that mean to you?
For me it's a day to celebrate the woman who brought me into the world. The very woman God handpicked to be the perfect mother for me. God knew before I was born what my life would be like, my struggles, my joys, my wants, and my needs, and He chose my mom, Melinda, to be just the person He knew I would need to get through the good times and the bad times. Even though I'm a continent away, she still helps me when I need it. She does bank transactions for me, helps with legal documents when needed, and is a daily support and communicator. I can't imagine my life without her!
Then there are those of you who see Mother's Day as a struggle; a day you'd rather just stay in bed. Maybe you lost your mother years ago or perhaps she passed away just last week. Some of you, my dear friends, come from homes of negligent mothers, absent mothers, or abusive mothers. Others of you have tried to become mothers yourself but have faced the pain of infertility, miscarriage, or possibly even the loss of your own child.
As you read this post, I don't know who you are, where you are in life, or what type of mother you have/had, but know that for those of you who see Mother's Day as a day filled with pain, I grieve with you.
I have seen on the faces of children and witnessed it from the very hearts of friends the pain of an absent mother. Be it students at school, children at the Children's Home, or friends, I have seen the pain. Mother's day celebrations at school are wonderful... IF you're a child with a mother who will be there. Talking about the greatness of my mother is a way to honor her, BUT a friend may see it as bragging as he/she longs for the embrace only a mother could provide.
However, no matter what situation you find yourself in, Christ is able to comfort even the deepest of pains, fill the biggest voids, and love in a way not even a mother could love her child. His love for us is unfathomable, deeper than any love a human could give. His love is unending, self-sacrificing, and forgiving. He shed His blood in order to break the separation between God and humanity so that we could have an intimate relationship with Him. He wants intimacy so deep with each of us, so deep that our very sin brings tears to our eyes as we fall to our knees in repentance.
Recently, I witnessed this love in earthly form more closely than I've seen before - walking the ocean's shore, watching a boy push his 90 year old grandmother in a wheelchair and sharing memories of his childhood together. Doing whatever it took to make his grandmother happy, fascinated by her and caring for her in ways deeper than I have witnessed. In those moments, observing these two, I began to understand the depth of the love this boy has for her, and I was able to comprehend her desires to provide for him and do whatever it took to make sure he was taken care of, too. It was a beautiful sight, a mark left in my life, and a glimpse of Christ's love for the church - unconditional, self-sacrificing, intimate love.
Wherever you are today, if your earthly mother has been absent from your life or is someone you'd rather forget, my prayer for you is that you spend time in prayer today and ask Christ to fill that void. I also pray that if this be your case, you have found someone in life to call mother - a woman who has mentored you, an aunt who took you in and cared for you as her own, or the mother of a friend who was there for you even when your own mother wasn't.
You my friend are loved, you are valued and cherished. Your life is important, so please, use your talents, use your heart, and go out and make a difference in this world filled with pain and darkness. Take Christ's love with you and change the world - one person at a time.
