Luke 1:26-38 – “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” 

 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”  NKJV

 

I have been asked and asked others, “What is it about Mother that the very word holds such a special and treasured place in your heart?”   We do not have an exhaustive list, unlimited time, or ability to fully innumerate why but let me suggest a few considerations.

When I think of Eve being described as the “Mother of all Living” and then turn to the New Testament and see the events of Luke 1 where Mary is informed of God’s choice for her to be the human vessel through which the Christ would be born, I see something that speaks to my heart.  Then when I view my own mother and relationship with her I find some things that are almost beyond words but know that the idea and image of MOTHER is one of the most powerful words in my vocabulary.  It stirs feelings and devotion in me like few other words if any other word beyond Jesus or God.

I realize that some who read this may not have had or may not have a good and healthy relationship with the woman who birthed them into this world.  I did and my heart is saddened for anyone not having a loving relationship with a godly mother.  That nurturing relationship is priceless and today, I desire to give tribute to all mothers.  My mother has received her promotion to her eternal reward and is sorely missed.  I would not bring her back if I could because her body was twisted with arthritis and her legs no longer supported her preventing her from active mobility she had always enjoyed and treasured.  I would not bring her back because her mind was no longer the sharp mind we grew up knowing and her short-term memory was greatly diminished but her love never faded and the light in her eyes always brightened when we would walk into the room.

My mother sacrificed unselfishly and without complaint to provide for her children.  She was a gentle spirit but if you touched her cubs she was a she-bear and would have given her life without hesitation to protect her children.  We grew up having little of this world’s goods but she always made sure we had food to eat, clothes to wear, and would find a way to put a few coins in our pockets when we needed them.  She instilled in us a pride of family, and along with our father taught us the value of a dollar and demonstrated a work ethic that has proven invaluable in life.  She was our greatest supporter and rooted for us, encouraging us to never give up and always strive for success.  She believed in us and encouraged us to believe in ourselves.  She believed in God and demonstrated godliness in her walk and encouraged us to place our confidence in Him.  I remember as I prepared to go to Houston to fly to boot camp her stopping at a local general store to get something.  She found a small pocket Bible to give to me and of all the things I kept during my time in the military including Vietnam that Bible was a constant companion.  It was not read but treasured as a connection to my mother and her faith.

As I grew up, married and children came into our home, she was always willing and ready to offer help in any manner possible.  Her love for family was demonstrated in her grandchildren and I know my children treasured her more than words could express.  MOTHER is a word that conveys to me love, nurture, provision, wisdom, protection, guidance, and faith.  Today, if you have a living mother make her know how much you value her.  If you have a strained relationship I urge you to seek to heal those wounds.  If your mother has departed this life remember her input into your life and strive to live that life she would be proud of.

I conclude with this tribute to mothers.  Click on the link and watch the video presentation under two minutes.   God bless you and God bless Mothers everywhere!

 https://www.guideposts.org/video/inspirational-stories/mothers-day-tribute