Mother's Day, 2020!

Good morning to each of you--especially every Mother--as we anticipate celebrating Mother's Day this Sunday!  It is interesting to think about what creatures of habit we are!  It seems very strange not to be celebrating Mother's Day the way we always have --- anticipating a little gift for each Mother present at church -- beautiful flowers for the oldest mother, the youngest mother, the mother with the most family members, etc., and a wonderful Mother's Day message from the pastor!  For most of us, it will be very different this year; but it thrills my heart to know that our God is ever the same, and His Holy Word assures us -- "I am the Lord; I change not"!

So this morning as we turn our hearts to Mother's Day, I trust you will take a little time to meditate again on the very lovely word picture we see in Proverbs 31of a gracious woman, for this kind of woman is invaluable -- her price is far above rubies, and no quantity of precious stones can be equal to her worth!  "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.  She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.  Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."
I like this poem by Helen Steiner Rice --

     "A Mother's love is something that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion -- and of sacrifice and pain,
      It is endless and unselfish -- and enduring, come what may
For nothing can destroy it, or take that love away . . .

      It is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters, even though the heart is breaking---
      It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems---

      It is far beyond defining; it defies all explanation---
And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation---
      A many splendored miracle man cannot understand---
And another wondrous evidence of God's tender guiding hand."

"Dear Heavenly Father, what a sweet and blessed comfort it is to know that you see every mother in the whole, wide world today!  You share in our joys and our sorrows -- you see our children and precious grandchildren -- and in these uncertain days, you want us to remember the power of prayer!
We think of Hannah as a great example of a praying mother.  In half of all the verses about her in I Samuel, she is praying!  I humbly ask Thee, dear Father, to help each of us mothers on this Mother's Day to remember that the most important work we have to do is that which must be done on our knees, alone with Thee -- and may you help us, dear Master, to so live that when we stand before Thee, we will have the family in our hand."  In Jesus' name, Amen.