Each year at Mother’s Day we beseech God with this prayer.  It obviously isn’t Mother’s Day, but the beginning of the school year is often a good reminder of what all a mother is and what being a mother means.  Especially in this time, Moms and Dads are being appreciated in new ways… just as God intended.

First, I will start with the Introduction to the prayer.

Mom,

Perhaps for you today is a day that is nothing but a joy to recall and celebrate.

Perhaps today is hard; maybe your relationship the very concept of “mom” is difficult… or worse.

Perhaps you celebrate because your definition of what a mom is has been broadened and now you include those who have blessed you with the examples of God’s maternal traits.

But even so, perhaps every year there is an aspect of grief over a loss in your family.

Or perhaps today is simply the day you do not have to choose where to go out to eat…or you do get to choose, for a change.

Any woman representing the maternal aspects of the character of God is a mother.

His strong, nurturing, sacrificial, warm and compassionate traits are the cosmic standard of mothering.

All of us have at least one mom, who took the role of giving birth to us.

Most of us have hundreds or thousands of women who have been moms to us, representing those aspects of God.  Teachers, friends, coaches, neighbors, etc. have been moms to us in this way.

Today, we want to take advantage of the fact that our culture celebrates moms, this day, by praying for them in a special way here…

Please pray with me:

So, Lord, we ask that you pour out your special blessings to those who represent you maternal aspects today:

God, thank you for your gift of mothers (James 1:17).

Thank you that you give us spiritual life like a mother gives us physical life (Isaiah 46:3-4).

Thank you that you won’t forget us like a mother who won’t forget the child she cares for (Isaiah 49:14-15).

Thank you that you give peace and comfort like a mother comforts a little one (Isaiah 66:12-13).

And thank you that we, like the apostle Paul, can claim spiritual mothers in our lives. (Romans 16:13).

And thank you for the all the mothers who display such truths to us (Proverbs 6:20).

And thank you for providing many moms of the gospel whom we count as a blessing from you (Mark 10:29-30).

May you bless them and keep them, make your face shine upon them, and give them your peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

We ask your special blessing on all mothers:

We thank you for mothers… In the trenches, seeking to create Christ followers by rocking, changing diapers, Band-Aids, giving medicine, listening, loving, hoping, giving keys and curfews, planning weddings, holding grandchildren and great grandchildren – theirs and others – and praying and praying and praying.

So we pray for them too.

We also lift up today the

Birth mothers who gave up their children

Mothers whose children have died

Mothers who have had miscarriages or adoptions that fell through.

Mothers of aborted babies

Future mothers in the midst of the challenges of infertility.

Pregnant mothers

Mothers waiting for adoption

Moms of many and moms of one

Foster moms

Step moms

Spiritual moms

Single moms

Moms who have broken relationships with their children…

Our mothers.  My mother.

In Jesus’ name…

Amen.