Dear Friends,

           Now that spring is here, it won’t be long until we are celebrating another very important holiday – Mother’s Day!  I realize that you won’t find it listed in the Church year, like Christmas or Easter, but it is still a very important day.  It is a day to remember that God is the giver of all good gifts including those things He gives to us through our mothers.

Like the time a Sunday School Teacher asked one of her students if he always said a pray before meals. And, the little boy replied, "I don't have to.  My Mom is a good cook!”  Of course, that young boy didn’t fully appreciate the benefits of prayer, but at least he realized that all the things his mother did for him were also gifts from God. 

That’s true for all of us as well!  The Scriptures remind us to: "Honor your father and mother"-- which is the first commandment with a promise-- "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth” (Eph. 6: 2-3).  To honor our mothers on Mother’s Day, (and our Dad’s on Father’s Day for that matter), means that we also give thanks to God for all that He does through them. 

  Martin Luther pointed this out in his explanation to the “First Article of the Apostles’ Creed”:  God is the One who provides us with “clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home” and a host of other blessings!  Just imagine, all the good things that we have (and that includes our mothers) are God’s gifts to us!  And, it’s not because we have done anything to deserve them either.  No, God does all of this for no other reason than His “fatherly, divine goodness and mercy.” 

So, Luther continues: “For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.”  I think that’s pretty clear – isn’t it?  And yet, so often we fail to show that kind of thankful attitude in our daily lives. As children, we don’t always honor our mothers the way we should.  And, as parent’s we don’t always show Christ-like love to our children. 

Thankfully, however, God is faithful and He has promised to “forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1: 9).  Everyday we can begin anew and give thanks to God for all His gifts – including our mothers.  And then remember: The righteousness of God is yours through faith in Jesus Christ - and NOT just for “a day or two,” but it will last for all eternity!