The Joy and Pain of Mother's Day

Psalm 34:17-18

17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

     Mother's Day is the third largest card sending holiday, (behind Christmas and Valentine's Day),  the second largest gift giving holiday (behind only Christmas), and the top holiday for dining out. It is a day of joy and thankfulness as we honor the women who bore and nurtured us. But it is also one of the most difficult days on the calendar.

     I am a momma's boy and I am not ashamed of that. I am very fortunate. My parents are both still living and still married (celebrating over 30+ years this year) and they are loving their roles as grandparents to our children. I will give my mother a call tomorrow (well FaceTime actually) and tell her I love her...and pass the phone on so that she can talk with her grandchildren.  The kids and I will spoil my wife with gifts, cards, and special meals...I am sure it will be a day filled with joy.

     It will also be a day filled with grief. My wife lost her mother to Ovarian Cancer 10 years ago. Forever loved as "Ms Jackie" my mother-in-law was the best that a son-in-law can have.  She was a faithful and dedicated Christian, Wife, and Mother. She taught children in Sunday School for decades and would often tell the kids in her classes that she wanted to be a "grandma" when she grew up. Just before her battle with cancer ended my wife and I were able to share with her that her dream had come true. My wife was pregnant with twins. My mother-in-law was so happy to tell the nurses and doctors that she was going to be a grandma.

     Shortly after my mother-in-law went to be with the Lord...our twins (Peyton and Jordan) joined her. Several months after losing my mother-in-law and the twins tragedy struck again and Jayden joined them in heaven.  The grief felt by my wife (and I) was enormous. There is nothing harder in life than losing a mother or a child and we had lost both within six months.

     It was during this time that the stories of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1-2, Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 12-21, and Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis  23-25 became very real and very encouraging for us. Adam and Eve were told to be 'fruitful' and to 'multiply' in Genesis 1-2.  They disobey God's Word in Genesis 3 and part of the curse given to the woman is that her 'pain' in childbearing will be increased (3:16). While certainly there is great pain in delivering a child...it appears (after the focus on infertility in Sarah, Rebekah, and even Rachel) that it is not just physical pain that is increased. Women, made with the gift of being able to carry and deliver children, will struggle with infertility and barrenness.

     Our grief droves us to the Bible and the Lord brought comfort. We cried out to the Lord...brokenhearted and with crushed spirits...and He heard our cries.

     One of the great lies of our enemy, the devil, is that you are alone. Take heart, you are not a lone. Many will mourn the loss of their mother tomorrow. If you have lost your mother...the Lord is near the brokenhearted and I pray that he would bring you great peace, comfort, and mercy.  If you desire to BE a mother...take heart...many struggle and many have experienced loss...the Lord hears the cries of the righteous, he is near the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:17-18). Jesus says in Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

    So on this day of joy and grief remember to pray. Thank the Lord for your mother and children. Pray for those who are mourning and for those who are longing. Pray that the Lord would give comfort and grace. Finally, remember that the Lord will one day swallow up death forever and will wipe away every tear (Isaiah 25:8)...and so we pray Revelation 22:20...Come, Lord Jesus!