Mother’s Day

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm going to start this morning by talking about fear.  Now, if you're wondering what fear has to do with Mother's Day, all you have to do is conjure up a memory of "that look," and you'll know the kind of gut-wrenching, bone-chilling fear that only mothers can convey. 

But, no, that's not the kind of fear that I'm talking about.  THIS fear is "the fear of the Lord."  Rather than get into a in-depth study on the term, I simply want to preface this morning's message with a general understanding of "the fear of the Lord."  The book of Proverbs begins by telling us, "fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge."  It is the cornerstone of wisdom.

"Fear" in reference to God, for the believer, has nothing to do with terror.  In fact, 1 John 4:17-18 says, "And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.  Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love."

No, "fear," in this respect, involves awe and respect, a healthy acknowledgement that we are not dealing with an ancient historical figure, or the "big guy upstairs."  It is recognizing that He is the One who created all things, the One who holds all things together, the One who formed us in our mothers' wombs, the One who knows us by name, the One who knows the number of hairs on our heads, the One who knows the precise number of our days, the One who alone can perceive the hidden motivations and attitudes of our hearts, and who loves us anyway, the One who sent His son to a brutal, bloody death in our place, the One who the Psalms say places the lonely in families.  I could go on and on, but the point here is that when you stop to consider all these specific aspects of Who God is, you should be provoked to a deeper sense of awe, reverence, and respect .  THIS is the fear of the Lord.  Keep that in mind, because I will return to it later.

I want to draw your attention to three separate snapshots of mothers in the Bible, and to touch upon just a handful of characteristics of a godly mother.  If I were to possibly try to paint even a mediocre picture of the traits and qualities inherent in motherhood, I would be doomed to failure, for mere words simply cannot convey such a thing.  So, we will take a brief look at these mothers, and will attempt to discern the common theme that unites these women from different cultures and different eras with the mothers of the "enlightened" 21st century in the western world.

Moses' Mothers - Exodus 1:6-2:10

• A mother has her child's best interest at heart, even above her own (also see 1 Kings 3:16-27)

Samuel's Mother - 1 Samuel 1, 2:1-11,18-21

• A mother remembers that her children are "a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him."  (Psalm 127:3)
• A mother entrusts her children to the Lord, giving them back to Him in her heart.

Jesus' Mother - Luke 1:26-2:56

• A mother trusts God that He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, more than she could ever ask or imagine.

Conclusion

The common denominator for these mothers is a total, unconditional love for their children undergirded by a "fear of the Lord," not a fear of punishment or of rejection, but of awe and wonder at the One who carefully and purposely formed their babies in the womb, the One who entrusted them with the responsibility and honor of loving and nurturing this precious life.  I believe that it takes nothing more than to gaze into the face of a new-born baby to evoke that sense of awe and wonder.  But think about this…  God Himself loved us so much that He took on that experience Himself, and in doing so, entrusted Himself into the hands of women and men so that He could be fully identify with us.

The common denominator is that kind of fear of the Lord.  Proverbs 31 tells us of the wife of noble character, and concludes with fitting words for the observance of Mother's Day, "Her children stand and bless her.  Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”  Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.  Reward her for all she has done.  Let her deeds publicly declare her praise."

Happy Mother's Day to each and every of the mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, aunts, as well as to all those women who have given selflessly of themselves to invest in the lives of children.  You have been, as Stephen Curtis Chapman sings, changing the world one little heartbeat at a time, ministering God's unconditional love to the next generation.