Good evening brethren, and happy Sabbath!

A special Day

This Sunday is Mother's day.  For those of us fortunate enough to still have mom around, it's a day to call or visit mom and thank her for all she has done for us.  If your mother has passed, you might choose to spend time looking through old photos, or just treasuring special memories.  In any case, it's a good time to thank God for life and the mother that helped raise you.

What makes a mother?

So what do you think of when you think of mom, mommy, momma, or whatever you called your mother?  I have a thousand memories of my mom - laughing around the dinner table, planting a garden, enjoying the beach at the Feast of Tabernacles.  I also have great memories of my mom's mom.  We'd often spend summer afternoons enjoying a gentle breeze with a glass of tea and sit under the shade tree, snapping beans.  My dad's mom always had a funny story to tell, and loved to sing. 

All these memories shape what I think about when I think of a mother.  Beyond the things they say and do, what really makes a mom special is her character.  When I think about the character and qualities of a mom, I think of a tender, caring, compassionate person who listens to her children and gives them sound advice, along with comfort and love. 

In Galatians 4:26, after comparing the son of the bondwoman and the son of the freewoman, Paul makes the important point, "but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all."  The Jerusalem above is symbolic of our coming home - the Kingdom of God (compare Revelation 21:2).  While we don't often think of the church as our 'mother,' the scriptures clearly support that thought. 

Home is where the heart is

The church - the body we make up, and interact with on a weekly basis - should have the same character and feel as a mother's love!

Every week, when I arrive at Sabbath services, I look for that support and love of a mother.  And every week, I receive it when I walk through the doors of each congregation!  While this weekend is a time to honor and cherish our physical mothers, let us be grateful for the spiritual mother that our Father provides - the church of God!