Wishing God a Happy Mother’s Day
It’s Mother’s Day and lots of people are taking advantage of the occasion to express their love and gratitude to or for their mothers. Countless cards have been sent, flowers and other gifts shared, and on Facebook just about everyone has posted a picture of their mother. Mothers play a vital role in our lives so it is only appropriate that we express our gratitude to them. Hopefully, however, that is not something we do just once a year. When you remember the sacrifices most mothers make for their children, the time they invest caring and providing for, protecting and nurturing their children, they truly do deserve more than an annual day of remembrance.
A few days ago I was out photographing in the nearby Sloughs and had a chance to take pictures of a pair of bald eagles who were watching over a couple of eaglets. The mature eagles knew I was in the vicinity and their constant cries made me aware that they were in protective mode. I was there long enough to see one of the adult eagles bring food to the nest. This indicated they were also in providing mode. One of the eagles spent more time near the nest more than the other. I assumed it was the female but I could not say that for sure. Regardless, watching it sit there watching over the eaglets reminded me that mothers play a very important role in the animal kingdom as well.
Some animals have more of what we would call a maternal instinct than others but after years of watching animals it is safe to conclude that most female creatures do, in fact, care for their young. They not only give birth to their offspring but spend a good bit of energy and time nursing, protecting and providing for their little ones. Many exhibit the same sacrificial and loving characteristics we see in good human mothers. These traits are a must for the survival of the species but also for the general welfare of the young.
I happen to believe that the maternal care we see in good mothers—human and nonhuman alike—is a reflection of God. I realize that for a variety of reasons we tend to speak of God in masculine terms but the Bible does not intend for us to view God as being literally male. The Bible says “God is Spirit” (John 4:24) and as such God demonstrates characteristics that we associate with both males and females. As the Creator God gives birth to the world and all that is. The God described for us in Hosea 11 definitely has maternal characteristics. Jesus, who is the greatest revelation of God we have, even used maternal imagery. In Matthew 23:37 we find him weeping over Jerusalem and saying “how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”
I happen to have had a mother who was (is) very loving. She has enriched my life in many ways. I see in her love a reflection of God’s love. I’ve seen that same kind of love in countless other mothers over the years. I’ve seen it in nature as well. So on this Mother’s Day I do give thanks for my mother but even more so for the love of God who loves us all with a true mother’s love. I see no reason at all not to wish God a very happy Mother’s Day. At the very least we should all offer our thanks today for the way God’s love is reflected in mothers everywhere throughout Creation.
–Chuck
(I took the eagle image at Henderson Sloughs WMA, the whitetail deer at Shenandoah NP, the bison in Wyoming, and the geese near Frankfort, KY.)