May 14 2023

Frankie / General

Mother's Day / Love / Lamentations 3:22–24

 Mother’s Day

1. Happy Mother’s Day! Today we celebrate the love of our beloved mothers. When we think of our mothers, what comes to mind? What memories do we have of them? The Bible shows us that God’s love is reflected in the love of our mothers. Today, I want to share with you some of the love and attributes that God has shown us through our mother. Now, let’s close our eyes for a moment and meditate on the love that God has shown us. God is always there for us, even when we are disappointed in Him. He shows us His mercy and love, which are endless and inexhaustible. They are new every morning, so we can praise Him for His mercy and love.

2. When I think of mothers, one person always comes to mind: my friend’s mother. She always took care of her children and gave them all of her time. She taught her children about faith, and when I visited her home, she prayed for me. Watching her, I learned that God is faithful and always consistent. The God I want to share with you today is the God who is always there for us with the same love. Let us read Lamentations 3:22-24.

Lamentations 3:22–24 (NKJV)

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”

3. The Babylonian captivity of Israel in the Old Testament was a time of great turmoil and uncertainty. The people were not at peace and their circumstances were far from good. With little hope for the future and little time to think about what was to come, Jeremiah chose to celebrate God’s attributes, particularly his mercy and compassion, rather than focus on his disappointment and betrayal of Israel. Jeremiah was able to praise God’s attributes in the midst of these difficult circumstances, as revealed in today’s reading from Lamentations 3:1-2.

Lamentations 3:1–2 (NKJV)

I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. He has led me and made me  walk  In darkness and not in light.

4. Jeremiah understood that Israel’s situation was a result of God’s will and that their sin had provoked God’s wrath. Instead of complaining to God about his circumstances, Jeremiah praised Him for His just wrath against Israel, which was based on His attribute of mercy. This reminded me of a mother disciplining her young child, similar to the way Jeremiah experienced and confessed God. I have many memories of my mother, both good and bad, because we were very close. My mother is a kind person, but she tends to do things according to her own standards. She gave me many gifts without ever asking what I wanted. If she thought something was good for me in her sight, she would do it regardless of my opinion.

5. My mother was also hot-tempered and emotional. Once she became emotional, it was difficult for her to control her feelings. Sometimes, when she disciplined me, it would go too far and appear to others as if she was abusing a child. Even when my mother disciplined me harshly, I never forgot that she loved me and was my mother. I just thought her personality was tougher than others. A friend of mine once confessed to me that his parents had died in a car accident when he was young and he grew up with his grandmother. No one was there to discipline him, and he longed to hear his mother scold him. He told me that he envied me for being scolded by my mother. Recalling my friend's story, I was reminded of what the Bible says about parental discipline.

Hebrews 12:8 NLT

If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.

Proverbs 29:15 (M:BCL)

Wise discipline imparts wisdom; spoiled adolescents embarrass their parents.

Proverbs 22:6 AMP

Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

6. When we think about love, we often focus on the emotional aspect. However, love is much more than that. C.S. Lewis discussed four concepts of love derived from Greek philosophy. The first is Eros, which represents the passionate and fiery love between a man and a woman. It’s a special emotional exchange that can cause the most outward change in the shortest amount of time. That’s why people often look their best when they’re in love.

Song of Solomon 1:2–4 (NKJV)

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— For your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you. Draw me away! We will run after you. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will remember your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you.

7. The second concept of love derived from Greek philosophy is Phileo, which represents the love between friends. This type of love can be described as friendship. It lacks the passion and heat of Eros but is characterized by shared affection and mutual respect. Phileo love can also describe the relationship between a teacher and a student. In the Bible, it is used to describe the friendship between David and Jonathan and when Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him.

1 Samuel 18:1–4 NLT

After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home. And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.

John 21:16–17 (M:BCL)

He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (Agapao) me?” “Yes, Master, you know I love (Phileo) you.” Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.” Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love (Phileo) me?” Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love (Phileo) you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

8. The third concept of love is Storge, which represents the love between a parent and child. Although this word does not appear in the Bible, it is found in Greek philosophy. Storge love closely reflects God’s love, Agape, which is devoted and self-sacrificing. We often hear stories of parents, especially mothers, who sacrifice their lives for their children. My mother was one of them. She became pregnant with me before getting married and moved in with my father, which was uncommon in Korea at that time. My father didn’t even know she was pregnant because he was working elsewhere. When others suggested abortion, my mother chose to give up her life and career to have me. She moved into my grandfather’s house alone and lived with her in-laws to give birth to me. It reminded me a story in 1 Kings 3.

1 Kings 3:23–26 (NIV)

The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’ ”
Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.” The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

9. As the mother wanted to keep her son’s life, my mother did like her. Finally, Greek philosophy speaks of divine love, the most sublime and beautiful love, known as Agape. The Bible tells us that God’s love for us is Agape and that He sent His only Son to die for us because of this love. In the Old Testament, Hesed and Agape represent the same concept of love: long-suffering, constant, and unchanging. Agape is the love that, despite our faults and shortcomings, never abandons us. It covers our sins and lifts us up again.

John 3:16 (NKJV)

For God so loved (Agapao) the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Proverbs 10:12 (NKJV)

Hatred stirs up strife, But love (AHAD) covers all sins.

1 Corinthians 13:4–6 NKJV

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

10. Today is Mother's Day. A mother's love resembles God's love more than any other love: it is devoted, sublime, and beautiful. A mother's love is a sacrifice, a love for her children, not for herself. This is a Korean song, but I would like to share a song with English lyrics.

Pre-cious love, the love of mo-ther, Broad and deep be-yond all praise! Pre-cious love, it stirs my spir-it Gives me glad-ness all my days. Mo-ther pray'd when I was weep-ing, Made my sor-rows all her own; And when I was glad and smil-ing Sang her prais-es at the Throne.

12. As we remember the love of a mother this week, let us reflect on the love of God shown to us. Just as my mother loved and sacrificed her life for us, God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to show us His grace and love. Let’s spend this week praising and reflecting on that love. God is our Father, and He loves us more than anyone else.