“Blessed are the mothers of the earth. They combine the practical and the spiritual into the workable way of human life.” (William L. Stinger) What a warm, yet astute, way Mr. Stinger considers mothers. In Exodus 2:1-10, we find a loving mother presented. When Moses was born his mother, Jochebed, hid him for three months in violation of Pharaoh’s order that every Hebrew male child was to be cast into the river and drowned. To save the life of her infant son, Jochebed, placed him in a little basket made of bullrushes, slime, and pitch, and left the basket among the reeds at the spot where Pharaoh’s daughter was accustomed to bathe. When this princess found the child, she had compassion on him, and, after the child was weaned, she adopted him and named him Moses. Moses, the leader of the Israelites in the exodus from Egypt and in the period of wanderings in the wilderness.
It was through Moses that God made the covenant with the Israelites. Moses is the chief figure of the religion of Israel. He is mentioned in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament character and appeared with Elijah on the mountain of Jesus’ transfiguration. Do you see it? Mothers combine the practical and the spiritual into the workable way of human life. Whether we call her mother, mom, mama, mommy, or ma, we honor her today. Motherhood is a divine institution and has been given divine protection (Isaiah 40:12). Mothers, we honor you and thank God for you and all that you do to weave into us the practical and the spiritual that we might become the children of the Most High God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Be blessed mothers, on this your day.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Pastor J. Amos Jones