“God Loves Us Like a Mother, too!”
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – 1 John 4:7-8
In May, the second Sunday is designated as Mother’s Day – the day we celebrate and honor our biological and spiritual mothers. In most Christian traditions, the Church is also referred to as a mother who cares for and nurtures God’s children to grow in faith and Christ-like maturity. The motherhood of the Church is closely linked to the understanding of God as a mother. A line from a song that I heard when I was attending a concert at Central Philippine University in the mid-1980’s, sought to explain the reason why God can be compared to a mother (that is, a good mother). It goes: “Nobody loves you like your mother, God is mother, too.” A Swedish Baptist singer visiting our campus sang this song that he had composed about the motherhood of God. He was making a provocative theological statement that challenged the audience who was used to praying to “Our Father.” I cannot recall all the lines of the song but the last line remained in my memory. And it went like this: “Love is of God, and God is mother, too.”
I pray that Central Baptist Church continues to be faithful in being a mothering presence to our community, sharing the love of God in caring ways as a mother does for her children.
The closing line of the song made a good argument about God’s identity, based on a sound biblical teaching about God’s nature: “God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8) God loves us like a good mother who cares for and protects her children. This is the same God who birthed and empowered the church to become like a mother to all who are gathered to be empowered and equipped and sent out into the world to serve as God’s children. We thank and praise God for all the ways that we receive motherly care in every season of our lives. May we live in such a way that honors and celebrates the mothers in our lives, and above all our mothering God who cares and protects us like a mother hen who protects her young and shelters them under her wings.
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers and women who love and care for us like a mother!
Yours in Christ’s love,
Pastor Carla
WELCOME VICTORIA SHINN
In the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, I welcome our seminary intern, Victoria Shinn, who will begin her pastoral ministry internship at Central Baptist Church on May 1 through mid August. Victoria is a student at Lancaster Bible College, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministry. She has just completed her second year at LBC. I have accepted the responsibility to serve as her supervisor with our church council’s approval and in consultation with her and her seminary professor, Dr. Casey Barton. Please pray for Victoria, our church, and me as together we learn to grow in loving and serving God and share the Gospel in our community, with God’s guidance through the Holy Spirit and God’s Word in the Bible.
May 2025 Preaching Schedule
2025 Annual Theme: “Living with Hope Into God’s Future”
Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
May 4 (Communion and Third Sunday of Easter)
Scripture Readings: Psalm 30: 1-5; John 21:1-19, NRSVUE
Sermon Title: “The Breakfast Club”
May 11 (Mother’s Day and Fourth Sunday of Easter)
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:46-56, NRSVUE
Sermon Title: “A Mother’s Legacy of Faith”
May 18 (Fifth Sunday of Easter)
Scripture Readings: Psalm 148; Revelation 21:1-6, NRSVUE
Sermon Title: “Heaven Came Down”
May 25 (Sixth Sunday of Easter)
Scripture Readings: Psalm 67; John 5:1-9, NRSVUE
Sermon Title: “Do You Want to be Made Well?”
Leave a Reply