The Maternal Characteristics of God

Introduction

Good morning, church family!

It is great to be here with you this morning.

What a great privilege we have to be able to assemble together, share in this fellowship together, and glorify our King together—what a blessing this is.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Today’s a special day, isn’t it?

A day where we can recognize some of the most hard-working, selfless, dedicated people in our lives.

Say what you might about the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, but I think we can all agree that it was a good thing when he signed this holiday into law back in 1914.

Many of you probably have plans this afternoon to celebrate the day.

Many of you are here today with your mothers—which is probably the greatest gift you could have gotten them.

Some perhaps are planning on treating your mother to a nice dinner today, whether that’s home-cooked or taken out or whatever else.

Some of you maybe woke up this morning to breakfast in bed, or a bouquet of flowers, or a nice, special, thoughtful card.

There is something special about this day—a day to honor what some would say is the glue that holds a family together, the mother.

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that perhaps this day isn’t joyful for some…

Many of us have wonderful mothers, or some may have a wonderful wife who is the mother of your children, but that isn’t the case for everybody.

For some, perhaps your memories of your mother aren’t pleasant…

For others, perhaps this is your first Mother’s Day without your mother…

Or perhaps, despite the desire to become a mother, you were unable to have children…

If I’ve just described you, I want you to know that I’m so sorry.

Infertility is so challenging… miscarriages are so tragic… the loss of a mother is so devastating… the trauma of a bad mother can be so destructive…

Bridging the Gap

The reality of our world is that there are good mothers, and there are bad mothers…

I wish I could say here today that all mothers are loving, but the harsh fact is that not all are.

This is a reality we see in our world, and it’s even a reality we can find in the Scriptures.

In the Old Testament we read about a woman named Maacah, who was the wife of King Rehoboam and mother of Abijah.

It’s evident that when Rehoboam and Abijah were kings, Maacah took advantage of the position of her husband and son, because we read that as the Queen Mother, she had made a detestable image for Asherah, a Canaanite goddess. Asa, her grandson, removed her and her idols from the throne.

We also read about another mother, named Gomer, in the Old Testament.

Gomer was the wife of whoredom taken up by the prophet Hosea.

Gomer had abandoned Hosea and their family in order to play the part of a harlot—just as Israel had been doing to God.

We read of yet another mother, named Athaliah, in the Old Testament.

Athaliah was the mother of King Ahaziah—and when Ahaziah had been killed, Athaliah attempted to kill off the rest of the royal family in order that she would have sole power over Judah.

Of course, one of the sisters was able to save young Joash from being slaughtered, and when he became of age, he became king.

There are many bad mothers in the bible, but there are also good, godly mothers still.

I think about Hannah, the mother of Samuel, and how fervently she prayed and cried out to God that she could have a son who she would dedicate to Him.

I think about Naomi, who was by all accounts not only a great mother but a great mother-in-law to Ruth, who led her to Bethlehem where Ruth would meet Boaz.

And of course, who doesn’t think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was not only faithful to what God had instructed her in regards to the birth of Jesus, but was faithful to Jesus and was there by his side all the way through the end.

When you compare these good mothers, there’s something that they have in common.

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What it is, and what it is that makes these mothers good mothers and not bad mothers is the fact that they are reflecting the traits of their Creator.

I’ll say that again: good mothers are good mothers because they are reflecting the traits of their Creator.

Good mothers are a reflection of a very good and Holy God.

A Maternal God?

We know, of course, that humanity is made in the image of God.

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Genesis 1:27 tells us this—So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

We are all made in the image of God—and we often reflect our Creator in the things that we do.

This is especially true of parents, and it’s especially true of mothers.

Have you ever noticed that mothers have that different quality about them?

It’s why it’s so important that when you’re growing up you have both a mother and a father in the house—because naturally, both parents bring different things to the table.

Mothers have got some maternal characteristics that, no offense, fathers just don’t have.

And some of these maternal characteristics are a reflection of the good and holy God that they serve.

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Now, some of you may be wondering… how can God have maternal characteristics?

God, while being referred to as Father and having masculine pronouns, can and does exhibit maternal qualities—of which you’d hope to have if you’re a mother.

Now, there’s a radical belief by critical feminist scholars that you should change the pronouns you use when referring to God—to either feminine (i.e. ‘Mother God’ or ‘Queen’) or neutral/neutered.

I am NOT advocating for that—I think that would be wrong.

However, I think it would also be short-sighted of us to not recognize these maternal characteristics that God the Father does have.

Quality 1: He is Caring

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There are many different maternal characteristics of God that are instilled in a good mother…

The first of which is God’s CARING NATURE.

There isn’t quite anything like the care of a mother, is there?

The bond between a mother and a child is a special one, to say the least.

I can remember when I was away at college, my mom would try to make contact with me at least once a day to make sure that I was okay—because she cares about me.

She’d always ask questions like “Did you eat today? Did you get much sleep? Have you done your homework?”

When I was a young driver and first got my license she’d make me text or call her so that she knew that I had arrived to my destination okay.

That might seem a little much, and it is, but it’s because she cares about me.

Mothers tend to their children when they’re sick; they clean up after them when they’re slobs; they worry about them when they’re away; they support them when they’re in need.

The care of a mother is, of course, a reflection of the care God has for us…

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Psalm 55:22 says this: “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

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Similarly, Peter says this: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

The God that we serve cares for us, enough to where His desire is that if we have any burdens or anxieties in this life, that we would just cast them to Him and let Him sustain us…

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Psalm 23 begins in this way: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

The reason that David says he won’t be in want? Because of the care that comes from the shepherd.

The shepherd makes to lie down in green pastures, leads beside still waters, restores the soul, leads in paths of righteousness.

In verse 4 David says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

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Think even of these words of Christ, from Matthew 6:

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (6:26).

“And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (6:28-30).

If God cares for the birds of the air and for the grass of the field, how much more then does He care for us!

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God even cares enough for us that he is patient towards us, because it’s His desire that none would perish but that all would reach repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

I love this; some would say that God is slow in terms of bringing the end of all things—but he isn’t slow—he’s patient, and he’s waiting for everyone to be brought back to repentance.

Why does God do that? Because He cares for us.

A caring mother is reflecting her caring Creator.

Quality 2: He is Protecting

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Another way that a good mother reflects her Creator is the fact that He is Protecting.

This is something that, if I’m being honest, I kind of resented as a child, because I felt like I was being over-protected or even sheltered by my mother, but now looking back I can see just how protective she, and other mothers, are.

Often it’s little things, like making me wear a helmet if I ever rode my bike, in case I fell off and hit my head or something.

I’ll tell you a recent example, when I had graduated from college and had just moved back home, I had turned my old bedroom into an office and had moved my bedroom down into our basement.

I stayed down there for a few months, but one day, after our own Johnnie Jones had a fire at his home, my mom’s maternal instincts kicked in and she was insistent that I move my bedroom back upstairs—because there wasn’t a fire-escape downstairs.

If we ever had a fire, I would have been a goner.

I was a little frustrated, because I had my office upstairs just how I liked it and I had my bedroom how I liked it—but I went ahead and did it, because I know that she was protecting me.

I’ll tell you what’s fascinating is how aggressive a mama-bear can be if their cubs are in danger.

Bears are humungus and terrifying already, but you’d better be careful if you find yourself in the presence of a mama.

But mother’s don’t just protect you from physical threats, but they also protect you from corruption.

You ever wonder when you were younger, ‘Why won’t my mom let me watch that show? Why won’t my mom let me on that site? Why won’t my mom let me listen to that song? Why won’t my mom let me hang out with that friend?”

It was because she was protecting you from being corrupted!

When you’re young the things you take in and the peers you surround yourself with are so impressionable, which is why mothers are so protective of their young ones.

Of course, when a mother is being protective, what she’s really doing is reflecting the protective nature of her Creator.

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Psalm 125 is one of my favorite Psalms, and it says in verse 2 of that Psalm, “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people, from this time forth and forevermore.”

What a great source of comfort this is—this protection from God.

Notice it doesn’t say that the Lord is there with His people, or that the Lord is present with His people, or that the Lord is even beside His people—the Lord surrounds His people.

There’s no blind spot around that you need to worry about, and there’s no gaps that the enemy can infiltrate—the Lord’s got us surrounded.

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Psalm 121 gives this sentiment, starting in verse 2: “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

How great is the protection of the LORD? Not only will your foot not so much as move, but He isn’t going to take any time off either—not even to sleep!

I’m reminded of when Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, he had instructed Peter, James, and John to watch out for him, and after praying he went back and found them asleep—twice! (Matt 26).

That may have happened with the apostles—but it will not happen with God.

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Of course, I think Jesus gives us the perfect imagery when he laments over Jerusalem in Matthew 23, when in verse 37 he says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. And you were not willing!”

Here, Jesus compares himself to a mother—a hen!

But not just any hen—a hen who gathers her brood under her wings, as to protect them.

Jesus’ desire was to be to them as a hen is to her brood—a source of shelter, refuge, and protection, yet they were not willing.

A mother who protects is reflective of her protective Creator.

Quality 3: He is Sacrificial

And finally, a third way that a good mother reflects her Creator is the fact that God is sacrificial.

According to Google, to sacrifice, as we’re thinking of it, is to “give up something important or valued for the sake of other considerations.”

Do mothers do this? Absolutely they do.

There are so many different ways that a mother sacrifices for her child—whether it’s time, the countless hours spent caring for, the countless sleepless nights spent in worry…

Or the sacrifice of money—to not only feed but clothe, nurture, give generously, and in some cases, the sacrifice of a career—which is a sacrifice of both time and money!

Mothers will sacrifice their own comforts, desires, goals, aspirations, and pride for the sake of their child.

Of course, when a mother is acting sacrificially, what she’s really doing is reflecting the nature of her Creator…

Do you think God knows a thing or two about sacrifice? Absolutely He does.

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Possibly the most well-known verse out of the entire bible is John 3:16, which along with verse 17, says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world would be saved through him.”

You wanna talk about sacrifice… God gave the ultimate sacrifice for us—His only Son. He did that for us—so that we could have eternal life.

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One of my favorite passages of Scripture is this from Romans 5:6-8, which says, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly… God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

This adds a new layer to the sacrifice, doesn’t it…

It’d be one thing if we weren’t half bad, but the reality is that at our BEST we’re still filthy, disgusting rags.

But despite our sin and despite our shortcomings, God still sacrificed his own Son—Jesus the Christ—for us.

We were weak, and we were ungodly, and we were still sinners… yet Christ still died for us.

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Peter puts it so well when he says in 1 Peter 2: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

If you want an example of sacrifice, look no further than what Jesus did on the cross for our own sins.

Despite being without sin, he bore ours in his body…

He died, so that we can have life…

He took those wounds, so that we could be healed…

This is so much more than one man dying for many… this is righteousness dying for sin… perfection dying for corruption… holy dying for unholy…

Make no mistake about it… when you see the sacrificial love of a mother, she’s really reflecting the sacrificial love of her Creator.

Conclusion

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What a special day this is…

A day where we can honor mothers—who are some of the best among us.

Mothers are absolutely worth the honor that’s due them—and I hope you take time to honor the mother’s in your life today if you’re able.

Mothers, at their best, are a great reflection of their Creator.

Made in the image of God, mothers have these maternal characteristics that sprout out of the nature of the One True God.

As you honor your mothers today, don’t forget to honor your Creator as well.

Pray with me please…

FIX MICROPHONE/GATHER MASK

This morning, I want you to know that there’s a God who loves you very much—much more than any mother could.

This God we serve is the living God—He is alive, and in Him we live.

God cares for you, he protects His children, and He’s given the ultimate sacrifice for you—by sending His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross.

As humans we’ve all fallen short of the glory of God—that’s the bad news.

But there is good news, that through the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ, God has given us a free gift—the gift of Salvation.

This gift is freely given… will you choose to accept it?

If you’d like to accept it, and if you’d like to be baptized into Christ for the remission of sins, we invite you to respond now, as we stand and sing.