The modern Mother’s Day holiday was created as a day for each family to honour its mother by Anna Jarvis who in 1912 trademarked the phrases “second Sunday in May” and “Mother’s Day”. She also lost a lawsuit aimed to stop its over-commercialisation. Anna had hoped for a day of reflection and quiet prayer by families, thanking God for all that mothers had done.
But the concept of honouring mothers (and by implication fathers) of course goes way back further, being stressed in the creation account by Adam who gives the reason for calling his wife “Eve” in Gen 3:20, “”because she was the mother of all living”. In that name he honoured her for her role and work as “mother”.
Effectively, that was the very first Mother’s Day – given in anticipation of the birth of children which was promised in God’s Word “be fruitful and multiply…” (Gen 1:28) – and all this in the context of “It was very good” (Gen 1:31).
It is no surprise then that this is finds expression in the covenant of Mt Sinai in describing what it means to be God’s redeemed people in new life within the Promised Land. It is given in the fifth commandment (Exod 20:12).
In the NT this of course is reinforced as the underlying dynamic of Christian family life in Eph 6:1-3.
Of course the actual day is not the issue or where we put the emphasis – grace-living means it is to be true of everyday life, and that in so being and doing we honour God as our Father in heaven.
This morning we take the time to look at the fifth commandment. Let’s ask God’s blessing upon His Word to shape and strengthen this principle of grace-living in our families – for parents to teach and model it, and for children to learn and delight in it.