Daily Devotions

In Hosea 11:3-4 we find God described as mother God: “Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I who took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.”

What a beautiful image, but as we approach Mothering Sunday, let's reverse the paradigm. 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.

God uses many images, not just gendered ones. Anything that is good can be used to communicate God’s goodness to us. God is a shepherd, a warrior, a king, a servant, a midwife, an artist, rock, light, fire, etc. This includes fatherhood as well as motherhood, because these roles are intrinsically good. While the Bible uses “he,” God is not more a he than a she. God is these things to get to the inherent goodness of God’s-self that shared with the created order.

Focusing on or limiting God to either gender is like a gardener who carefully tends to a single, wilting flower, neglecting the rest of the garden.  Such an illustration represent how we sometimes focus solely on one characteristic of God whilst not taking on board something of the  other important elements of God's nature. In Job 57:15 we discover what we perceive of God “Look, these are only the outer fringe of God's ways; we hear only a whispered word about God. Who can understand God's thunderous power?” We cannot have knowledge all who God is, but we can know the love he has for us.

Thomas Merton puts it like this, “To be grateful is to recognise the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.”

Bless us with Love, O Merciful God;
That we may Love as you Love!
That we may show patience, tolerance,
Kindness, caring and love to all!
Give me knowledge; O giver of Knowledge,
That I may be one with my Universe and Mother Earth!
O Compassionate One, grant compassion unto us;
That we may help all fellow souls in need!
Bless us with your Love O God.
Bless us with your Love. Amen