Tomorrow is Mothering Sunday in the Anglican Communion which is a day of honouring mothers and the mother church.
Mothering Sunday reminds mothers that the roles of women are appreciated by the LORD and His church.
Mothering Sunday Season gives the women the opportunity to maximize their efforts in mission and evangelism, charity and community care-giving. It is the peak of their all-round-the-year mission and humanitarian activities. Women show love and care to their families, church and community as they rejoice and celebrate the Mothering Sunday.
This season affords the Women additional opportunities to use their treasures, time, talents and resources to serve God and humanity.
The theme of this year’s Mothering Sunday message is, “Dependable God: The Source of a Mother’s Strength and Confidence,” is a reminder the success of motherhood and the stability of the home depend largely on relationship with God.
When mothers depend on God, they receive the strength, wisdom and confidence needed to guide their families and remain steadfast in difficult seasons.
This theme also connects deeply with the general Mothering Sunday emphasis which is “God Give Us a Christian Home.” A Christian home is built when mothers draw their strength from God and allow Him to guide their lives and families. The home is often shaped by the faith, patience and spiritual commitment of the mother. When a mother relies on the dependable God, she becomes a channel through which God nurtures a godly home where love, discipline, prayer and righteousness flourish. In other words, dependence on God is the foundation upon which a true Christian home is built.
A virtuous woman provides for her household, supports her husband and nurtures her children with diligence and love. Above all, she fears the Lord and that fear of God becomes the secret of her strength and honour.
This scriptures remind Christians of the high expectations God has for mothers as builders of godly homes and pillars of the family.
However, it is important to acknowledge that mothers today face enormous challenges. Many women struggle with economic pressures, the responsibility of raising children in a morally complex society, the demands of supporting their husbands and families, and the task of maintaining peace and unity in the home. In spite of these burdens, mothers continue to labour with resilience and sacrifice to keep the family together. These realities remind us even more that mothers truly need a dependable God who supplies strength beyond human ability.
God expects mothers to live lives of godliness and integrity so that through their example their families may grow in faith. A mother who understands her identity in Christ will intentionally raise children who honour God and contribute positively to society.
Therefore mothers should source their strength from the Lord and let their confidence remain in the God who never fails, through prayer, faith and obedience, to equip them with the grace needed to build homes that reflect the love and righteousness of Christ.
As we celebrate mothers today, we pray that God will continually renew their strength and enlarge their wisdom and uphold them in every challenge as well as reward their sacrifices, to build strong Christian homes where Christ is honoured, children are nurtured in righteousness and families grow in faith and unity.
DR MARTHA IBEZIM
