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Romans 12:12.       Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation (always persevering); continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer.

 HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! 

Well, a Happy Mother’s Day to all you beautiful Mothers out there! Yes, I know that some of you don’t deserve the term beautiful, because your motherly behaviour hasn’t been up to scratch, in fact, some of you have behaved downright unmotherly, but the truth is that you bore the pain and anguish to bring children into this crazy world, and for that alone, you deserve to be feted. So, please take a day to enjoy yourself; don’t think too much about anybody else but you, because this seems to be the one day in the year that we truly show mothers our deep appreciation. 

We should really show them our deepest appreciation every day, but the reality is that we don’t. And as we gather in the Lord’s Sanctuary on this beautiful Mother’s Day Sunday, we’re going to open with a wonderful song written especially for Mothers, titled ‘MY MOTHER’S LOVE!’ by Janice Kapp Perry, the accomplished and prolific American Composer. In an interview about the origins of the song, she says that some ten years ago, she was thrilled when Mack Wilberg, the Music Director of the Tabernacle Choir, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, asked her to write a new Mother’s Day song. 

She continues: ‘And of course you can only think of your own mother. If you had a good mother, she’s your inspiration for the song. My mother’s LOVE was the basis of everything good in my life. She was always there for me. My mother Ruth was a very enthusiastic person, energetic, she LOVED projects, played in a dance band with our father and wrote musicals for the community. As far as her children were concerned, she was just a cheerleader. She LOVED everything we did. Made us feel like we could do things.’ And that’s the beauty of a mother my people; a cheerleader, an encourager, a spreader of Christian joy and good cheer! 

Now let’s sing the slow and soulful song, a hauntingly beautiful melody, ever so rich and scintillating. We might not do as good a job of it like the Tabernacle Choir does, but we surely going to give it a good try. (smile) Singing: ‘My mother’s voice, the power of her teachings, Live in my soul and guide me still today. Her caring ways, her timeless words of wisdom Come forth to help me through each day. In each challenge, each choice, Above the world’s noise, I hear my mother’s voice. 

My mother’s faith, her prayers of earnest pleading, Turned me to God in moments of despair. Her calm assurance of His tender caring Taught me to turn to Him in prayer. Through my darkest of days, I reach to feel His grace. Such was my mother’s faith. My mother’s hands that lifted and protected, Those LOVING hands that soothed my fevered brow Were as a shield from every earthly trial, And still, the memory helps me now. And my heart is aware, the strength that I now share Came from my mother’s hands. 

My mother’s voice will live in me forever. A steady anchor for my reaching soul, As generations climb the path together to sweet eternities untold. My mother’s LOVE, the essence of her being, Flows in and through me every waking hour. A quiet strength grew from her constant caring, A legacy of saving power. By her words and her touch she strengthened me so much. I felt my mother’s LOVE… I felt my mother’s LOVE.’ 

Oh friends I doubt we can ascribe to our mothers any better sentiments on this Mother’s Day of 2023! The song says it all! The power of her teachings that still live in our souls and guide us every day. That takes me back to the words of Cousin Sol in Proverbs. ‘Train up a child in the way he should go; and (even) when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ (Prov. 22:6) Now that could be taken two ways; either as if you raise them properly, even when they are old they will follow the Christian guidelines you instilled in them, or as a warning to parents that if they allow their children to have their own way, they will not depart from that foolishness when they are old. 

But it shows that however children are raised, that’s how they usually carry on through life. And the fact is that mothers are the basic caregivers of the family; they carry children in their wombs for nine long, trying months, go through hell to birth them, (smile) then they also have the great responsibility to train them up in a proper manner. And it’s usually at the breast or the feet of our mothers that we learn about life. I like these words: ‘My mother’s faith, her prayers of earnest pleading, Turned me to God in moments of despair. Her calm assurance of His tender caring Taught me to turn to Him in prayer.’ 

They remind me of my own mother, Molly, who never took an easy step in her life, but was always joyful and God-fearing. And I know a lot of what I experienced from living with her through some rough times has made me the person I am today. I saw how she handled lack and never complained; out of a job for a couple of years and still remained hopeful. I learned these words of Romans 12 through the experiences I shared with her. ‘Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation (always persevering); continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer.’ (Rom. 12:12) 

As a young lad, I often did not understand what she was doing, especially when the times were extremely difficult, and yet she always had a smile and a kind word to offer, always ‘Distributing to the necessity (needs) of saints; given to hospitality.’ (Rom. 12:13) I remember that whoever was at our table, always got the best of what we had. And I could never understand it, but she always said that’s how it ought to be, and she was doing it for me. 

Now I understand it all Molls sugar, because through your goodness and kindness to others, wherever I’ve been in this world, people have always been kind to me. They don’t know me from Adam, (smile) but are always reaching out a helping hand to me. And that’s the same way I try to live. Yes my people, a Mother’s hands and faith are ever so important in a child’s life, to protect and guide them along the right path. As the song says: ‘My mother’s voice will live in me forever. A steady anchor for my reaching soul.’ How true that is for all of us. 

It’s so easy to see that a mother is the most important person in a child’s life, for they set the tone and direction that child will take. So please let’s respect and honour our mother’s nuh. The Lord thought it so important for us to respect our parents, that He put it in His Ten Commandments. ‘Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ (Ex. 20: !2) 

And yuh know what friends, the closest thing to God on this earth is a kind and godly mother, for they exhibit much more of God’s goodness and His attributes than we men. That’s another reason right there to LOVE, honour and respect them and not abuse them, or treat them like second class citizens, the way that so many cultures are still doing these days. 

And we couldn’t get a better ending for today than these words from the end of the song: ‘My mother’s LOVE, the essence of her being, Flows in and through me every waking hour. A quiet strength grew from her constant caring, A legacy of saving power. By her words and her touch she strengthened me so much. I felt my mother’s LOVE… I felt my mother’s LOVE.’ 

Now, if we are truthful to ourselves, we will all acknowledge the great debt we owe to our mothers. So, let’s get out there and repay what little of it we can! Much LOVE!

…the epitome of motherhood…Mary…the mother of Jesus…as she quietly bore His terrible suffering…for that’s what mothers do… 

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