Happy Mother's Day!  Mothers are given a very special purpose from God!  In this blog, you will discover a mother's purpose by how God spells the word "mother".  There is a deep meaning behind it.  It goes far beyond merely birthing a child or raising children to adulthood.  A true "mother" in God's eyes carries a lifetime of influence.  A mother as God intends, is a strong force of nature to bind us in love like no other!

This Mother's Day I feel God challenging me to reflect on my mother through His eyes.  So I've been reviewing and considering some of her ways, some of her emotions, and some of her words.  It's been enlightening to reflect on her through God's meaning of a mother. 

After doing an exercise of remembering and reflecting, I can feel God softening my heart.  There is a deeper understanding into her ways.  I can see why any family upset strikes her core and keeps her unsettled.  God's definition of a mother is making me stop and appreciate her overly expressive kisses and hugs, to see why she still wants to sit on the couch and hold my hand, that even though I am over 50, she still wants me to stop so she can just look at my face.  I roll my eyes in a lot of those moments and feel my adult self resisting.  There are times when I can feel "too zoned in on" by her deeply intuitive nature that never stops trying to tune to my heart, and make sure I am ok.  She worries a lot about my safety; and would be just fine if I only drove on days that were sunny and dry.  I have laughed out loud on the countless days she has said, "It's raining out maybe you shouldn't drive today." 

One thing is certain, about my mother and countless other mothers, "she" is a force of love sent from God holding us together in a way He designed.  I see this when my mother questions, "When is the last time you talked to your brother?  You should call him."  I see it when she says, "Give me another hug before you leave." This makes me think of many times I've heard people say, "Now that my mom is gone, the family does not stay in touch the way we used to.  She held us together."  That statement of "she held us together" gets to the very heart of God's definition and purpose of a mother. Reflect further by reading through and processing the exercise below.. 

Note- Even if you have not had a good experience with your mother, others could have represented God's motherly love to you.  And if you still have not had that experience, no matter how old you may be, ask God to experience a mother's love.  There is a section below to help you. 

Psalm 27:10- NLT Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.

Meditation Exercise:  How God defines "mother"

Prayer Goal- 

• "God, open my eyes to see my mother through your design.  Birth in me a new appreciation and thankfulness so that I may honor her in my thoughts, actions, and words." 
• or "God, I've never known this type of love.  God, reveal a mother's love to me."
• or "God, let your meaning of a "mother" transform the way I am as a mother.  Help me be a mother reflecting the beauty of your design."

Definition-  God defines a mother according to purpose.  Her purpose is one who "'binds" the family together, holding them together individually and collectively through her love and actions.  

How can we know this is how God defines a "mother"?-  Before there were letters to spell words, there were pictographs.  Pictographs were symbols, which when their symbolic meanings were combined, revealed definitions.  Eventually each pictograph became the letters used today with the symbolic meanings staying with each letter.  We see this in how 2 symbols were combined to define the word "mother".  It is a definition of purpose. One symbol was an ox head, the other symbol was of water.  An ox head represents strength.  And water represents water.  So combined these pictographs mean "strong water."  In Ancient Hebrew you would read from right to left, and this is how it would be spelled in pictographic symbols- ​

So anytime you saw those pictographs combined, you would know they were referencing a "mother."*. Now how does strong water translate into a "mother'?

​In ancient times, the skins of animals were boiled in water which produced a sticky substance, much like glue. So strong water was a binding agent. And it was known in ancient times that a mother was a binding agent of the family. She held the family together with her love, her words, and her work. Her love, her words, and her work brought comfort, discipline, wisdom that "held" the family together.

WAYS TO REFLECT (Pick what is RELEVANT to you from 3 different scenarios):

1. Ask God to help bring to mind ways that your mother held you together with her love, words, and work. Reflect on times she shed tears in private because of her mother's heart for you.
   1. ​​Write down what comes to mind. Consider including some of these reflections in the card you give to her on Mother's day.
   2. Consider including this scripture in your card to her- "I thank my God every time I remember you."
2. If you have a bad relationship with your mother and have upset within about what you are remembering, take those feelings and thoughts to Jesus.
   1. Let God know what you are thinking and feeling that is upsetting. He knows the pain around abandonment, emotional negligence, harsh treatment, and broken promises.
   2. Be open to not suppressing tears. God heals through tears and longs to comfort.
      1. Psalm 126:5- Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
      2. Psalm 34:18- The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
   3. Do you feel any bitterness of soul towards your mother? If so, bitterness is a root to be removed so that is does not defile other relationships.
      1. Ask Jesus to work in you to remove the bitterness- Hebrews 12:15 Be careful that no one falls short of the grace of God, so that no root of bitterness will spring up to cause trouble and defile many.
   4. Ask Jesus to help you release any insistence you have that she "pay" for her mistakes. to lead you on a path to forgive, to let go, and to trust in how He works out justice. (If the pain and trauma is very deep, this will be a process. But God will help you. He is the only One who can forgive, so it will be His life in you to help you release and let go. Your surrender to His ways is the first step.)
      1. Romans 12:19- Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
      2. Mark 11:25- And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
3. If a mother yourself, reflect on ways you show your love, ways you speak to your children, ways you work to hold each one and the family together.
   1. ​Are you weary? Do you need His encouragement and strength? Do you need to hear whispers of affirmation from Him? Ask Him for it.
      1. Genesis 16:13a- She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me..."
      2. Isaiah 40:11- He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
   2. Do you feel badly about any words or actions that may have been too harsh or impatient? Ask God if you are too hard on yourself. Ask Him to show you mercy for any harsh ways. Ask Him to give you wisdom on how to handle new situations through His Spirit, strength, and love.
      • Matthew 11:29- Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
      • Romans 8:26- In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Praise God for His love and divine intervention! Be blessed in the transformative work of God to help you honor your mother, forgive where necessary, and be a mother purposed according to Holy definition! May the strong waters of His love bind you eternally through Christ!

​* Benner, Jeff. “Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, www.virtualbookworm.com, 2005.
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• Note:  We are 12 days beyond Easter (Resurrection Sunday).  This would be 12 days into the 40 days that Jesus was appearing to his disciples and over 500 other people, Acts 1:3 & 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.  We are symbolically in the time before Jesus ascended to the Father.  So consider, if you were you living in that time, Jesus would still be walking around meeting with people, teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, and giving proof that he is alive!  
• Below is an exercise to "set" your mind on things above. 

First reflect on the fact that Jesus wants minds firmly set on the reality that He was formerly dead; but by the power of His Father in Heaven, he was raised up from the dead, Ephesians 1:20! 

Long time followers of Jesus may find the above "too familiar" and not challenging to their prayer life. People can tune out saying to themselves, "I've heard that before, nothing new."  But that reaction more so indicates a "lukewarm" state of heart, than a correct judgment.  And it probably means your mind is more set on other things right now than on Jesus.

We must do hard stops to redirect our thoughts from the day-to-day and into the victory of Christ.  Jesus was nailed to the cross, released from the grave, and is now seated on His throne in Heaven.  This is to be a treasure trove for mind renewal.  These places (the cross, risen, and then ascended) are always a dwelling place for prayer and mind renewal.  

So let's set our mind on things above!  In order for something to "set" or be "set", it means that it is fixed, it has been readied and prepared.  For someone's mind to be "set", one has first sat and hardened so that a thought has become fixed.  This can lead us in a good direction or a bad direction.  Assess where you are "set".

Where have your thoughts been sitting?  Where are you set in your ways and immovable?  Are they good or bad places of thought?  (Later, read this recent blog on how to determine what is good.)

Examine today where your thoughts are "set".  Do a quick inventory. 

• The first thing on your mind when you woke up this morning was ______________________________
• Then while getting ready and you looked at yourself in the mirror, you thought what about yourself?
• As you went on with your day, what were you reviewing?
• Have you focused on how to get a certain person's attention today, in order to be noticed and feel validated?
• Have you ruminated more on problems or solutions?

Based upon those answers, put yourself on a spectrum. 

• Do the thoughts of your day skew more towards worry or peace? 
• Negative or positive? 
• Heaviness of thought or joy? 
• Striving or effortlessness? 
• "Me, me, me" thoughts or "who can I serve" thoughts?
• People pleaser or child of God?

To be sure, life is not a rest filled day laying in a hammock, above a field of flowers, with song birds cheering our hearts all the time.  It is quite easy to skew to the left on those questions above.  Reality is that there are countless things happening to easily bring worry, heaviness, striving, and longing for attention.  This is why God's word is clear that that our thoughts are not God's thoughts, our ways are not His ways.  God wants it to be clear that our minds must be supernaturally renewed!  He gives us access to his thoughts and will transform us so that His ways become our ways!

For this, we must do a hard stop and position to SET our minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Here is a test for Christians- Have you ever pictured yourself seated at the right hand of Jesus in Heaven?  Is that a ridiculous exercise to you?  It should not be.  You being raised up with Christ and seated with him in Heaven is a God thought.  Here is proof-

Ephesians 2: 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Are you able to quiet yourself right now and envision yourself seated next to Christ in Heaven? 

• Don't try and do it on your own.  Ask God to help you.  "Father, help me "see" myself seated in Heaven with Jesus as His gift of grace."
• Fix yourself next to him.  Are you squirming and uncomfortable?  What it is about?  Remember you are there by grace, not merit.  
• Now how does it feel as He smiles at you, so happy to have you seated next to Him, the King of all!  

• How does it feel to be transported above all darkness, wickedness, and death?  Above your flesh life?
• Are you connecting with Jesus' victory over all, over all in you?  Can you envision him handing you a scepter to carry His authority, in partnership with him?
• Do you feel unworthy to take the scepter?  What is it about?  Tell him.  Remember His mercies never end.  He understands.  Talk to Him.  You are there by His gift of grace.  
• Wait there in your thoughts.  Wait there with Jesus.  Tell him simple things that you feel. 
  • "It's so nice to be here with you Jesus." 
  • "It's a relief to be lifted away from the intensity of my day." 
  • "Thank you for raising me up with you in your victory over death."
  • "Thank you for not treating me as my sins deserve."
  • "How are we working together today?"
• Just keep sitting there with Him.  Fix yourself firmly next to him.  The goal is to see yourself fixed in position, next to Jesus, in Heaven, seated at the right hand of God.  The goal is to feel humbled, honored, accepted, loved, glorified, and partnered in victory over all things!  
• Praise Him!

Colossians 3:1-2 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.



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