May 9 Sabbath Message - The Ideal Mother
Opening Hymn
We are starting out this Sabbath message a little differently. Click on title above. Watch and listen as we honor mothers today.
Opening Prayer
Scripture Reading
10 [c] A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Proverbs 31:10-31
15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. ...
26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:15-17 and 26-27
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and she gives them to each one, just as she determines.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
Message
Today, is a day that we in the United States honor our mothers and motherhood. So, we started the service with a beautiful rendition of Bach's Ave Maria and some lovely pictures depicting that special love between mother and child. The video was a reminder of why we celebrate mother's day. Everyone can relate to the special devotion of a loving mother. It is a universal concept. In every culture of the world and throughout time, there is idealization of mother's love. It is understood that the relationship of mothers and their children is sacred, unique and precious.
Yes, there are a few exceptional cases where mothers are not loving. Every so often society is shocked by a graphic example of a cruel or abusive mother. These are sick and twisted souls and are not representative of motherhood as a whole. One recent example is the case of the Sunday school teacher and mother in Tracy, California who was arrested for abducting and abusing a playmate of her daughter. This case horrified the nation. It was mind-boggling to most Americans that a mother could do such cruel things. The reason that case was so shocking is because it defied the universal truth that mothers love their children and that same love is transferred to other children as well. Such horrendous acts are the work of the Evil One in this world to distract us from God's truth.
The truth is God gave us mothers and that special unique relationship between mother and child to help us understand divine love. The first relationship we develop in this world is with our mothers. It is our first glimpse of God. Later, we learn to know our father as well but much of that relationship is initiated and formed my our mother. She is the one who first places her little one into the father's arms.
Through our relationship with our mothers, God provides in the physical realm the same relationship that we have with the Holy Spirit Mother in the spiritual realm. We are born into the family of God when the Holy Spirit comes to us at baptism. She is the one who guides us, teaches us and raises us up as spiritual children of God. She is the one who introduces us to our Father.
By giving us part of herself, we learn to love like God loves. We learn to nurture and care for others, to be kind and gentle and to comfort the sick and weak. This is true for both men and women. All of us who strive to be children of God, need to incorporate within ourselves both the masculine and feminine aspects of the divine. The reason why there are so many single mothers in this society is because men have rejected or stifled the feminine divine within them. All of us can learn how to be better people by learning how to follow the ways of our mother.
Think of what a good mother does and you will understand your spiritual Mother, the Holy Spirit, better. She feeds us spiritual food. She tends us when we are sick. She guides us and counsels us through the difficult times in life. She bundles us up in her warmth when the world is cold. She speaks wisdom and instructs us in what is right and wrong. She is the ultimate virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 that we read earlier . Lets listen again to some excerpts of from that scripture and consider how this describes Mother God.
Time of Reflection
Click on the title above and listen again to Proverbs 31 description of an ideal mother.
Click on the Title. Reflect on the value and beauty of a mother's love. Recommit yourself to the mission of demonstrating that love to your own children and to all of mankind.
Holy Spirit Come and Fill This Place
