I am blessed to have two children who call me mum. One of those turned up with his wife and cooked me-well all of us, a gourmet breakfast for Mother’s Day. The other was too far away to drop by but she messaged me instead. My mother was in my thoughts today, but not with me, as she passed away nearly seven years ago.
Last year on Mother’s Day I reflected on my relationship with my mother, which was complicated and less than perfect. I wrote a blog titled ‘On Loving a Less Than Perfect Mother” overcoming my nervousness about writing about less than perfect motherhood- which seemed to me to be one of those sacred cows. I was humbled by the response and moved that so many people related to my story.
Sadly, there are many people who have a less than perfect relationship with their mother. Some relationships are filled with the pain of abandonment, rejection, maybe neglect and or abuse. For some people there is little or no relationship at all. Some of our mothers were too wounded to be there for us. Mother’s Day is therefore often painful.
Some of you are those mothers who in spite of doing the very best you could, have unintentionally abandoned your child, rejected them, ignored them or even hurt them. My heart goes out to you on Mother’s Day.
The fact is none of us are perfect, and neither are our mothers. We need not lose heart though as we have a motherly Father God who will never abandon us or forsake us. His love is perfect and everlasting. In Him we can find shelter and encouragement in His care. In Him we can find healing, forgiveness and nurturing love.
I love the imagery in the Bible of a God who is like a mother hen gathering the chicks under his wing. Those wings are a nurturing refuge; a place of warmth and security. The Psalmist knew that too. He spoke of the unfailing love of God and the refuge in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 36:7). He spoke of God’s faithfulness and covering with feathers (Psalm 91:4). He spoke of God’s mercy and refuge in the shadow of the His wings until disaster passed (Psalm 57:1). And he spoke of his desire that God keep him the apple of his eye while hiding him in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 17:8).
If you struggle on Mother’s Day, please be encouraged that you are not alone. There are others that understand your pain and there is another in whom you can take refuge. This week may you find shelter under those ‘wings’, and may you know what it is like to be His.
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