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Let us begin our time together by singing: To God Be The Glory
Scripture Reading
Isaiah 66:12
12 For this is what the Lord says:
“I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. 13 As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 49:15-16
15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.
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As we take time to pray let us look into the holiness of God and bring all our loved ones, family members, our community and church family to Him in prayer.
Let us pray
Lord, thank you for all mothers. For new mothers, who endure sleepless nights with infants in arms. For the busy ones, who juggle the pressures of home and family life. For the steadfast ones, who nurture and care for vulnerable children. For the patient ones, who always seek to forgive and engage with their pre-teens. For the persistent ones, who cleverly find new ways to connect with their mini-adults. For the mother aunts, who step in to cradle and care for nieces and nephews. For all grandmas, who love and support their precious grandchildren. For the foster mums that are called to gather and cover the fragile ones. For step mums, Sunday mums who care for our children and lead them in faith. For the mums who give far beyond their own resources, who overcome disability to cherish and love. Thank you Lord for all our beautiful mothers. Help us to support them and keep them in our prayers. May you bless them now on this their special day. Amen.
Let us share together in the Lords Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Let us listens to the Staff Songster sing: More than wonderful
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The Mother Heart Of God
I know that Mother’s Day is very difficult time for a lot of people. And it’s difficult for a vast number of reasons. I know that some parents can, and have, treated their children appallingly. I know that a good number of mothers have passed away and they are still mourned. I also know that even now some mothers are far from well. I know that there are women who would have loved to be a mother but are unable to be one. So, Mother’s Day can be a very difficult day indeed, filled with all kinds of emotions. I also acknowledge that there are many who use this day to say how wonderful their mother is. So, we bring all these emotions and situations to our God and we ask His blessing upon them all. I ask you to bring to God those in your life who have encouraged you, supported you through your darkest times and thank God for them.
Let me put a smile on your face.
One day a little girl was sitting watching her mother do some knitting. The little girl suddenly notices that her mother has several strands of grey hair. She looks at her mum
and inquisitively asks, why are some of your hairs grey Mum. The mother replied, well every time you are naughty one of mummies hairs turns grey. The little girl thought
about this for a while then said. Well mum, you must have been very naught
as a child because grandma's hair is all white.
What I want to do this morning is to think a little about Mary, the Mother of Jesus and then I will talk about the mother heart of God. So, when we think of Mary, surely, we can say that life wasn’t easy. Yes, she was favoured by God. The gospel of Luke Ch1:31 says, you will conceive, and he will be the Son Of the living God. So, she was favoured, but that favour came at a price. First, who on Earth would have believed her that she was pregnant through divine intervention. Hardly anyone would believe her. She also knew that she would become an outcast of society. She would have been in danger of being stoned to death. Even Joseph was going to divorce her secretly, until an angel visited him to impart the truth of her pregnancy. What a relief it would have been for her to find out that Joseph also had received the same message the child is from God himself.
Mary was a mother, but she was the mother to the Son Of God, and what a responsibility. Let’s just take a look at a mothering moment of Mary. Do you remember the time when Mary & Joseph left Jesus in Jerusalem and it was panic stations all round? They looked everywhere for Jesus and when they do find him, what does Jesus say. ‘Why were you looking for me, didn’t you know I have to be in my Father’s house.’ Now, I would have said, you’re grounded for a year. But Mary, Mary the mother, pondered all these things. Another mothering moment was when she was at a wedding banquet at Canaan. Mary sees that there is no wine so she goes over to her Son and tells him about the situation. But Jesus say’s don’t bother me, my time has not yet come. Mary the mother knows he can do something, because she, “pondered all things” and she says, “just be ready to do what my Son asks.” It was then that Jesus performs his first miracle. Can we not say, that during that miracle, Jesus glanced over at Mary, Mary having a big smile on her face that just said, I knew you would do something.
And then we see Mary at the crucifixion. Everyone is in hiding. But what is Mary the mother doing, she is right by his side. When the rest of the world walks away, Mary the Mother stays close. I’m sure we can say that Mary was a perfect picture of motherhood. Unfortunately, as we know, not all parents are picture perfect. I know that I’m far from the perfect dad. But we all know the perfect Father who has a mother heart, and he is our Father God.
Let’s take a look at the Mother heart Of God
I’m sure when we think of God, we all relate to Him in the masculine term. We see him as Father. We also see Jesus as a man. But, at this point let’s just look at the creation story when God created Adam & Eve. It says that He created them in His image. He created them male and female. God has both qualities. That’s why he is our all sufficiency. The Hebrew word El Shaddai, we translate, The Almighty literally it means God is all sufficient. He supplies all our needs. He supplies the needs of both male and female because He is our all in all.
Yes, God is Father, but He is also Mother. In fact, God can fulfil the role of Mother and Father better than any earthy mother or father could. What does Isaiah 66:13 say?
As a mother comforts her child so God comforts you
You see, God comforts everyone because God is Mother and Father God. He is your helper, comforter, supporter, encourager. He is your all sufficiency. When we say it’s impossible, God says, all things are possible. When we say, I’m too tired, God says, I will give you rest. When we say, no one loves me, God says, I love you. When we say, I cannot go on, God says, my grace is sufficient for you. When you are at your lowest, God say’s, that’s when I’m at my best. When we say, I can’t figure things out, God says, I can, lean on me. When we say I can’t do It, God says, You can do all things through Him who gives you strength. When we say, I am not able, God says, I am able. When we say, It’s not worth it, God says, all things work together for good. When we say, I can’t manage this, I’m afraid, when we say I’m worried, frustrated, when we cry day and night, when we are fearful of the future, it is God who says, I will supply all your needs.
Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew Ch23.
O Jerusalem Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets. How often I have wanted to gather you together as a mother hen protects her chicks.
Jesus wants to gather His people, that’s you and me, as a mother hen gathers her chicks. You see, as manly as Jesus was, His nurturing, His love, His compassion was not restricted by His gender. What’s the old adage, “big boys don’t cry?” Well, Jesus actually wept. God has this magnitude of mercy. And through that mercy He nurtures all of those who come to Him.
Let me finish by saying this. God expects you and me to be the same. It’s not just mothers and fathers who have a duty of care, a duty of nurturing, a duty of loving. We are all called to nurture, to help, to care, to love and support each other. And we carry that on from birth to the grave. God has a mother and fatherly heart. He created us all in His image. So, it’s our responsibility to care for and love one another. Amen.
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Let us close our worship by singing or listening to:
The Lords My Shepherd
The Lord bless thee and keep thee
The Lord make His face to shine upon thee
And be gracious unto thee
The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee
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