A Mother's Love: A Reflection of God's Tenderness

Introduction

Good morning, Church family.

Today we honor one of God’s most beautiful and profound gifts: mothers. And not just biological mothers, but all women who have loved, nurtured, prayed, and comforted others like a mother would—whether you’re a mom, a spiritual mother, a grandmother, or a mother-figure.

In Isaiah 66:12–13, God paints a tender picture—He says that He comforts His people *as a mother comforts her child*. This is one of the most intimate and powerful descriptions of God’s character in all of Scripture.

Isaiah 66:12–13 NIV

12 For this is what the Lord says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. 13 As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

Let’s take a moment to explore what this means—how God’s love is seen through the lens of a mother’s care, and how this truth invites us to receive His comfort and share it with the world around us.

Peace Like a River

God promises **peace like a river**.

A mother’s presence often brings peace—a baby calms at her touch, a toddler finds refuge in her arms. It’s no coincidence that God chooses this image. Like a peaceful river flowing steadily through the land, a mother brings calm to chaos.

God’s peace is **abundant**—like a river that never runs dry.

God’s peace is **constant**—not like the temporary relief the world offers, but a lasting comfort.

Like a mother, God **provides**, **nourishes**, and **protects**.

> **Application:** On this Mother’s Day, let us thank the women in our lives who reflect this peace. And even more, let us be reminded that when the world is anxious, *God invites us to rest in His flowing peace*—to trust Him, to lean into Him, and to let His peace carry us.

Comfort Beyond Compare

Verse 13 says, *“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.”*

There’s nothing quite like a mother’s comfort.

She knows how to hold us when we’re broken.

She knows what words to say when our hearts are aching.

She knows when to be silent and just sit with us.

And that’s exactly how God comforts us:

- **He draws near to the brokenhearted.**

- **He listens.**

- **He gives us grace when we fail.**

Jesus Himself said in Matthew 23:37, *“How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…”* That’s maternal language. That’s divine tenderness. That’s Jesus.

Matthew 23:37 CSB

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

**Application:** Some here may be carrying grief today—perhaps you’ve lost your mother, or motherhood hasn’t looked the way you hoped. Know this: **God sees your sorrow and draws near with comfort beyond compare.** You are not alone. He holds you close, like a mother holds her child.

The Cross: Where Love and Comfort Meet

Isaiah’s promise of divine comfort is ultimately fulfilled in **Jesus Christ**.

In Christ, we see God’s nurturing love on full display.

He weeps with Mary and Martha.

He touches the untouchable.

He feeds the hungry.

He calls us His own.

At the cross, He bore our pain so that we might receive the comfort of eternal life. And through the resurrection, He became our source of *living comfort*, forever available to all who seek Him.

> **Gospel Connection:** If you’ve never known the love of a mother, or if your heart aches for one who is gone—**Jesus is the love your soul longs for.** He comforts, He heals, and He invites you into the embrace of grace.

Extending That Love to Others

God’s comfort is not meant to stop with us—it’s meant to **flow through us**.

Just as a mother pours herself out for her children, we are called to love others sacrificially and tenderly.

Encourage mothers today—thank them, support them, pray for them.

Be a spiritual mother or father to someone younger in the faith.

Be someone’s shoulder to cry on. Be the one who brings peace into a stressful moment.

**Challenge:** This week, reflect God’s mother-like comfort to someone in need. Send a card, make a phone call, speak a gentle word. Be that river of peace and that source of comfort.

Next Steps

Isaiah reminds us that **God’s love is both mighty and tender**. On this Mother’s Day, may we:

Recognize the beautiful image of God in mothers.

Receive God’s comfort in our own lives.

And respond by offering that same love to those around us.

Let us thank God for the women who reflect His tenderness, and let us worship the God whose love is more faithful, more nurturing, and more comforting than we could ever imagine.

**Closing Prayer:**

Lord, thank You for the gift of mothers. Thank You for Your love, which flows like a river and comforts like a mother’s arms. We lift up all women today—those who nurture, who lead, who love. And for those who grieve or long for comfort, may they find it in You. Help us to reflect Your tenderness in all we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen._

YouTube

Sure! Here’s a **YouTube description** you can use for your Mother’s Day sermon video titled *“A Mother’s Love: A Reflection of God’s Tenderness”*:

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🌸 **A Mother’s Love: A Reflection of God’s Tenderness**

📖 *Isaiah 66:12–13* | Mother’s Day Sermon

In this special Mother’s Day message, we reflect on the deep, nurturing love of God as described in Isaiah 66:12–13. Just as a mother comforts her child, God promises to comfort His people—with peace like a river and compassion beyond compare.

Join us as we honor the women who reflect God’s tender care and are reminded of the ultimate source of comfort found in Jesus Christ. Whether you’re celebrating motherhood, grieving a loss, or simply needing encouragement, this message is for you.

💖 Let this sermon remind you that God’s love is near, nurturing, and never failing.

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🙏 *Happy Mother’s Day!*

#MothersDay #Sermon #Isaiah66 #ComfortOfGod #LaughlinChurch #GodsLove #BiblicalTeaching #JesusCares

Notes

Absolutely! Here’s a **Sermon Notes Page** for people to follow along with *“A Mother’s Love: A Reflection of God’s Tenderness”* based on Isaiah 66:12–13. You can print this for bulletins, include it in your app, or display it as part of your slides:

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## **Sermon Notes**

### *Mother’s Day Message*

**Title:** *A Mother’s Love: A Reflection of God’s Tenderness*

**Text:** Isaiah 66:12–13

**Speaker:** Pastor Ryan

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### **Big Idea:**

God’s nurturing love, seen through the image of a mother’s tenderness, calls us to receive His comfort and extend it to others.

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### **Main Points:**

#### **1. Peace Like a River** *(Isaiah 66:12)*

- God’s peace is ________, ________, and ________ like a flowing river.

- A mother’s presence often brings calm—just as God offers us serenity in chaos.

- We are invited to rest in God’s ________ and trust His provision.

**Reflection Question:**

> Where in my life do I need to invite God’s peace to flow freely?

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#### **2. Comfort Beyond Compare** *(Isaiah 66:13)*

“As a mother comforts her child…” God’s love is not distant—it’s ________, ________, and ________.

- God knows how to hold us when we are broken.

- Jesus reflects this tender love throughout His ministry.

**Reflection Question:**

> How have I experienced God’s comfort in a time of need?

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#### **3. Jesus: The Fulfillment of Divine Comfort**

- Christ embodies God’s nurturing love: He weeps, heals, feeds, gathers.

- At the cross, Jesus bore our sorrow and pain, offering eternal ________.

- In Christ, we find the ultimate ________ and embrace of God’s love.

**Reflection Question:**

> How can I respond to the comfort I’ve received from Jesus?

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#### **4. Extending God’s Tenderness to Others**

- We are called to be channels of God’s comfort to those around us.

- Encourage, support, and honor the women who reflect God’s heart.

- Step into someone’s pain this week with gentle, Spirit-led care.

**Challenge:**

> Who in my life needs to experience God’s mother-like comfort through me this week?

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### **Key Verses to Remember:**

> _“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you…”_

> — *Isaiah 66:13*

> _“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”_

> — *Matthew 11:28*

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### **Takeaway Prayer:**

_Lord, thank You for Your nurturing love. Help me rest in Your comfort and reflect it to others—especially those who need to feel Your peace and presence today._

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Let me know if you’d like this formatted for a printable handout or want a children’s version too!

Bible Study

Absolutely! Here’s a **3-Day Bible Study** to go along with your Mother’s Day sermon titled *“A Mother’s Love: A Reflection of God’s Tenderness”* based on **Isaiah 66:12–13**. This study will invite participants to reflect, engage with the text through key Hebrew word studies, and apply the themes of God’s nurturing love in daily life.

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## 🌸 **Bible Study: A Mother’s Love — A Reflection of God’s Tenderness**

**Text:** Isaiah 66:12–13

**Duration:** 3 Days

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### **Day 1: Peace Like a River**

📖 **Read:** Isaiah 66:12

> *“For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream…”*

#### ✨ Hebrew Word Study:

**Peace – שָׁלוֹם (Shalom)**

More than just the absence of conflict, *shalom* implies wholeness, well-being, harmony, and flourishing.

- God promises to send “shalom like a river”—a never-ending, flowing supply of His wholeness.

#### 💭 Reflect:

1. What does “shalom like a river” look like in your life right now?

2. How does a mother’s presence often bring a sense of peace and stability to a home?

3. In what ways is God inviting you to rest in His *shalom*?

#### 🧎‍♂️ Application:

Take a moment to sit in silence today. Picture God’s peace flowing through your life like a river. Ask Him to show you areas where you need to trust His provision and presence more fully.

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### **Day 2: Comfort Like a Mother**

📖 **Read:** Isaiah 66:13

> *“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”*

#### ✨ Hebrew Word Study:

**Comfort – נִחַם (nacham)**

- Often translated “to comfort,” *nacham* also implies a deep emotional connection and a movement toward someone in their pain.

- This word is used to describe both God’s compassion and how a mother instinctively draws near to a hurting child.

#### 💭 Reflect:

1. Recall a time when someone truly comforted you. What made it meaningful?

2. How does God’s promise to comfort you challenge your view of His character?

3. Why do you think God chose the image of a *mother* in this verse?

#### 🧎‍♂️ Application:

Write a short prayer or journal entry thanking God for how He has comforted you in the past. Reach out to someone this week who is grieving or struggling, and offer them a word or act of comfort.

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### **Day 3: The Tender Love of Jesus**

📖 **Read:** Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34, and John 14:18

> *“How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…”* — *Matthew 23:37*

> *“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”* — *John 14:18*

#### ✨ Greek Word Study:

**Compassion – σπλαγχνίζομαι (splagchnizomai)**

- This word describes the deep, gut-level compassion Jesus felt.

- It carries the sense of a mother’s instinctive empathy and emotional movement toward her child’s need.

#### 💭 Reflect:

1. Jesus uses maternal imagery (a hen gathering her chicks). How does this affect your understanding of His heart?

2. Where in your life do you need to be “gathered in” by Christ today?

3. How can Christ’s compassion change the way you approach those who are hurting?

#### 🧎‍♂️ Application:

Make space today to rest in Jesus’ compassion. Let Him gather you close. Consider how your life can be a reflection of His nurturing love—especially toward those who feel spiritually orphaned or abandoned.

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### 🙏 **Final Challenge:**

God’s nurturing love isn’t just for our comfort—it’s for our transformation. Let His tenderness shape your parenting, mentoring, friendships, and service. This week, honor someone in your life who has shown you mother-like love. And above all, trust that in every season, God draws near to you with the heart of a tender, attentive parent.

A Mother's Love: A Reflection of God's Tenderness

Bible Passage: Isaiah 66:12–13

Summary: In Isaiah 66:12-13, God expresses His deep love for His people by comparing it to the nurturing and comforting embrace of a mother. Just as a mother comforts her child, God comforts His people, showing His tender nature and desire for intimate relationship.

Application: This passage reminds us that in moments of struggle, loss, or need for comfort, we can reflect on God's nurturing love as akin to that of a mother's. It encourages us to seek His comfort and to extend that same love to others in our lives, especially to mothers who represent that love.

Teaching: The sermon highlights how God's love mirrors the love of a mother, emphasizing compassion, nurture, and the provision of comfort during difficult times. It teaches that this divine aspect of God can be seen through earthly relationships, particularly through mothers.

How this passage could point to Christ: This theme culminates in the understanding that Jesus Christ embodies God's nurturing love, as seen in His care for His followers. His compassion and divine maternal attributes illustrate God's promise to comfort and provide, ultimately fulfilled in Christ's sacrificial love.

Big Idea: God's nurturing love, as seen through the metaphor of a mother's tenderness, calls us to recognize and experience divine comfort, encouraging us to share that love with others.

Recommended Study: As you prepare your sermon, consider exploring the Hebrew context of the terms used in Isaiah 66:12-13 to deepen your understanding of the motherly imagery. Investigate commentaries on the emotional and relational dynamics in this passage to better convey the fullness of God's compassion. Logos can help you analyze related scriptures and their connections to the mothering attributes of God, enhancing your teaching and application.

1. Peace Like a River

Isaiah 66:12

You could emphasize how God's peace is likened to a flowing river, abundant and life-giving, mirroring the serenity a mother provides to her child. This passage suggests that God's blessings are plentiful, just as a mother's love is unconditional. By drawing this analogy, we are invited to trust in God's overwhelming provision and peace in our lives, reminding ourselves and the congregation to lean on His nurturing nature during life's tumultuous moments.

2. Comfort Beyond Compare

Isaiah 66:13

Perhaps, as a mother comforts her child, the Lord promises to comfort His people, illustrating His gentle and compassionate nature. This point can help convey the message that divine comfort is available even in our deepest sorrows and uncertainties. By highlighting this promise, you can encourage listeners to seek God as a source of solace and reassurance, challenging them to also embody this comforting spirit in their relationships with others, especially those in need of tender care.