Mother’s Day 2025

Happy Mother’s Day to all of our mothers who work so hard at raising children, taking care of grandchildren, being a personal taxi driver, cooking for those ever-hungry teenagers, shopping to make sure the pantry and fridge are well-stocked, providing wisdom, counsel and discipline to the children under your care, plus a million other duties and obligations that come with the divinely ordained title.

As a tribute to our mothers, today I’d like to head in a different direction than I ever have in a Mother’s Day sermon. For our time today, I’d like to share a pastoral prayer I offer to the Lord on your behalf. I hope this prayer will encourage you in your essential role and challenge you to grow and flourish spiritually. By no means will this prayer be exhaustive, but it will represent some concepts I ask the Lord to fulfill in your lives, so that your impact on your children, regardless of their age, will be robust and lifelong.

My prayer revolves around three distinct biblical concepts. First up,

 

I Pray For You To Embrace & Enjoy Life’s Transitions

Being a mother is being fully aware that life is not static, but dynamic.

When I was a child, Harry Belafonte sang a song I didn’t fully understand until I was older. Titled Turn Around, it speaks about how quickly the life of your little baby girl merges into that of a young, vibrant woman who is heading out the door of your home to establish her own life. The song is full of passion because Harry and his wife lost their daughter when she was only seven. I must be honest, I can hardly listen to this song without my eyes welling up with tears, because I know how true the lyrics are.

Where are you going my little one? Little one
Where are you going, my baby, my own?
Turn around and you’re two, turn around and you’re four
Turn around and you’re a young girl going out of the door

Turn around
Turn around
Turn around and you’re a young girl
Goin’ out of the door

Where are you going my little one? Little one
Little Dirndls and petticoats, where have you gone?
Turn around and you’re tiny, turn around and you’re grown
Turn around and you’re a young wife with babes of your own

Turn around
Turn around
Turn around and you’re a young wife with babes of your own

Where are you going my little one? Little one
Where are you going, my baby, my own?

Songwriters: Alan Greene / Malvina Reynolds / Harry Belafonte

Turn Around lyrics © Alan Greene Songs

 

Yes, one moment you joyously hold your baby girl or boy in your arms at the hospital, and in the blink of an eye, they are walking across the stage at some university to receive their diploma. In light of this truth, can I share a word of encouragement in this prayer? Thanks. Embrace and enjoy the transitions.

Why? Because life’s transitions are all part of God’s sovereign plan for your life. The Scriptures are pretty clear on this matter:

⁹ The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps. (Prov. 16)

²¹ Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the LORD, it will stand. (Prov. 19)

God’s sovereignty means He has absolute control over every transition you experience as a mother, whether it is joyous or tumultuous. Because He is omnibenevolent, we know He can be trusted to work all transitions to our good, whether we see it at the moment or not. Paul underscores this point in his letter to the Romans in chapter 8:

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8)

So, embrace and enjoy the transitions the Lord sends to you as a mother.

Transitions, of course, can be either anticipated or unanticipated. For time’s sake, let’s focus on those anticipated transitions.

Once God gives you a new life, the anticipated transitions begin. You cannot stop them either.

• From infancy to about fourteen months, you do everything for your child: Getting their clothes on, helping them to eat and drink, to mention a few.
• Then, around fifteen months, when the toddler period begins, you start hearing their first words. Do you remember them? They are so cute, you won’t want to miss capturing them on your iPhone. By three years of age, they are talking in sentences, and between two and three years of age, it is pretty evident that a sinner is living in your home, because their will begins to surface quite naturally.
• When they hit the preschool years, you’ll never forget the first time you dressed them up for preschool or watched them pedal a trike for the first time.
• During the school-age years between five and twelve, you watched their bodies grow like weeds as you measured them on a door frame in your kitchen. You’ll never forget how funny it was watching them play T-ball. They hit the non-moving ball off the tee and then ran as fast as they could to third base. Rules? What rules? They were clueless. But, then, from ten to twelve, they were coordinated and athletic. And the artwork you’d been saving since they started to learn how to use a crayon or colored pen, all of a sudden started looking pretty good at the latter end of the school-age years.
• The next thing you knew, they were adolescents. How did that happen so fast is a question you keep mulling over in your motherly mind. What a wonderful time of transition. They go from listening to you and pretty much following your decrees and directions to debating you with the skill of a defense attorney or prosecutor. And the transitions at this time are unforgettable: the first girl or boyfriend, the first emotional breakup that ends all breakups, the first ear piercing, the driver’s permit, the driver’s license, and so forth. I’m sure you have your list of transitions at this time.
• And then it happened: The dreaded day you drove them to college, spent a few days getting them acclimated to the dorm and school life before that long ride home. You’ll never forget hugging them in the darkness on your front porch as you climb into the car for that life-changing drive. You’ll never forget coming home to a quiet house and an empty bedroom. Ah, but in your heart, you are happy for them because, after all, you know it is best for them. You’ve given their rearing your best shot, and now it is their turn to spread their wings and grow up and live life as a young adult. But you’ll never forget how quickly their childhood passed, with all its transitions.
• A few short years after college, you’ll never forget how proud you were when you kissed your son in his tux before he walked you down the aisle for his wedding. You’ll never forget that your little boy was now a man with his own family, and for all intents and purposes, you were, and are, somewhat replaced, but it’s a good feeling. Ah, these are sweet moments you’ll never forget and always cherish. Within time, you are shocked again at the fact that you are not just a mother, but a grandmother (how did that happen), with little children running around your well-ordered, quiet, and clean house, making it look like you’ve been burglarized. Ah, but you love it. Toys everywhere. Isn’t that great? Greasy fingerprints all over the glass of your slider door. Wonderful.

If you are a mother, you know all about transitions because they come with the God-ordained role. My prayer is that you embrace and enjoy them to the fullest. Whether they are good or bad, easy or difficult, they are all within God’s providence to hone and shape you to be a godly, spiritually maturing woman. So, will you trust Him in the transitions? My prayer is that you would be the woman who knows how to do this in a way that honors Him, while also inspiring others who are going through their own transitions.

My second prayer naturally follows the first one.

I Pray For Christ To Give You Wisdom & Insight As You Live And Lead

We know there are two types of wisdom: earthly and heavenly. Regarding the latter, Paul told the Corinthians, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight” (1 Cor. 3:19). Worldly wisdom is self-centered and selfish, focusing on the temporal at the expense of the eternal. Worldly wisdom may give you the street smarts to play the world’s godless game effectively; however, its values never bring lasting fulfillment, meaning, or joy to life.

Godly wisdom, conversely, views life from God’s viewpoint, not man’s. Godly wisdom is rooted in the fact that God exists, He has spoken to guide us on how to live life effectively, and that our decisions in any given situation are centered on Him and His character, rather than on ourselves and our thoughts. The worth of godly wisdom cannot be calculated. Concerning it, we read in Proverbs 16:

“¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!”

Gold and silver can purchase you temporal things, but they can never answer the important questions you face in life and need help with to live well and wisely as a mother.

How do you get this priceless wisdom from on high? It begins, according to Solomon, with a healthy and reverential fear of God:

⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Prov. 1)

The more you understand that God exists and that His character is wrapped up in holiness, among many other lofty traits, the more your life will reflect choices that you know will honor Him.

Wisdom from God is also intrinsically wedded to a knowledge of and obedience to the eternal Word of God.

“⁹⁷ O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. ⁹⁸ Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. ⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers, for Thy testimonies are my meditation. ¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Thy precepts.” (Ps. 119)

“¹³⁰ The unfolding of Thy words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. (Psalm 119)

“¹⁶⁹ Let my cry come before Thee, O LORD; Give me understanding according to Thy word.” (Psalm 119)

This is why it’s so utterly important for mothers to be in the Word of God, whether through private reading and study or learning in a group study with other women. By reading and studying the Word, you learn about God’s character and commands, and as you obey what you learn and as you apply it to the questions and issues you face in life as a mother, you, by definition, become wise.

I thank God my mother lived like this. She knew the Word because she was in the Word, and the Word guided her life, giving her wisdom to help guide mine through all those transitions we just discussed. Because she was, and is, a wise woman of the Word, she likewise made sure I became a man of the Word. Here’s a copy of the Scofield Study Bible my parents gave me as a teenager. It served me well through high school, college, and four years at Dallas Theological Seminary. Eventually, I wore it out and had to purchase another one, but I’ll never forget the source of heavenly wisdom.

Heavenly wisdom is also a priceless commodity you can, and should, ask for directly from the Lord. James tells us this much:

“⁵ But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” (James  1)

You might have had one of the most toxic mothers ever to walk the planet.

• She put down your accomplishments
• She controlled everything you did
• She pitted family members against each other
• Her love and kindness came with strings attached
• She never apologized and never let go of past mistakes you made
• She put her needs before yours
• She undermined your self-confidence to keep you dependent and needy.

Yeah, you might have had a troubled mother like this, and this has left you wondering, “With this kind of baggage, how can I ever be wise?” Wisdom begins with a faith relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners with baggage.

“¹³ For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1)

 Wisdom begins here, and it flourishes with you being able to constantly ask Him to give you wisdom from on high, when so much of your life centered on wisdom from below.

Think of all the situations where you, sometimes desperately, need God’s wisdom as opposed to the earth’s wisdom.

• Should my daughter ever go on a sleepover, given all the sick people in our world? If so, how do I know when it is safe?
• Should I try to restrict who their friends are, or should I give them some leeway, while interjecting my insights and wisdom along the way?
• What is the best way to get the attention of my utterly defiant three-year-old?
• How should my discipline differ with each of my children since they are wired so differently?
• When my teenage, lofty, and muscular son thinks he is all that and a bag of chips and thinks nothing of back-talking me, what should I do?
• What repercussions should there be when they lie straight to my face about where they have been and who they’ve been with?
• What do I do if they do not want to go to youth group meetings anymore because they think they are boring or a waste of time?
• How should I respond when the police call and say they picked up Johnny for shoplifting at a local store? Should I go and retrieve him or let the store press charges?
• A transboy wants my boy to come over and hang out after school. Should I let him?
• When they want to roll out of bed, brush their teeth, eat some breakfast, and then head to school in their pajamas, is this worth talking about?
• At what age should I permit my children to own a cell phone?
• If my college graduate son is content with living with us while working part-time for DoorDash, should I be concerned? How can I motivate him to dream bigger?
• All of my son’s free time is taken up with playing online video games with people from all over the world. Is this healthy? If not, what should I do about it?
• My daughter wants to date a young man in high school who is a devout Mormon. Should I let this play out on its own, or should I intervene?

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point. Mothers face many questions on any given day, and they need heavenly wisdom for them. Sometimes, it can be challenging to know which way to go. Sure, sometimes it’s fearful when you know that one particular decision might drive your child away from and not toward you. But you know wisdom is the best course of action in any given situation, but ascertaining what is wise is something God will need to help you with at times. So, my prayer is that you will always avail yourself of God’s wisdom and not yours. When you are old and gray, you will be glad that heavenly wisdom guided you as you guided those children in your care, for their lives will hopefully reflect that wisdom in how they live.

Wisdom is in short supply in our day. Unwise mothers abound, and you can see it in the selfish, impulsive, selfie-obsessed, shallow-thinking children they raise. May you buck the trend in your day by showcasing a commodity more precious than silver or gold. It’s called divine wisdom, and God stands ready to give you all you need if you will but ask. So, ask.

Third,  . . .

I Pray For Your Life To Be A Model Of Christ’s Life

The greatest gift you can give your children is for them to see Christ in you every day. Your life should be lived so closely to His that there will be no doubt in their minds that your mother represents the hands, feet, thinking, attitude, and character of the Lord Jesus. Paul’s words to the Corinthians set this principle in motion:

“¹ Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. (1 Cor. 11)

As Paul’s life reflected that of Christ, so should yours, especially as a mother entrusted with the care of the family that God ordained from the very beginning.

What was Christ’s life like? Better yet, what character did He exemplify that you should seek to emulate before your children and others? To understand His lofty character, you must spend a lifetime studying the gospels, paying attention to how He spoke to opponents, how He responded to rude people, how He treated the less fortunate, how He dealt with desperate people when He was tired at the end of a very long day, how He prayed, how He related spiritual truth to real life situations everyone could understand, and so on.

What was His character like?

• When wronged, He turned the other cheek (Matt. 5:39).
• When cursed, He blessed (Luke 6:28).
• When He needed to recharge His spiritual batteries, He went alone into the mountains (Matt. 14:23). Do you even know what alone time is anymore? Can you get some?
• When He encountered wrong or misguided thinking, He corrected it. His entire Sermon on the Mount, His first sermon, is an illustration of this.
• When His disciples constantly argued about who among them would be the greatest, He loved them enough to take them to task (Luke 22:24).
• When His disciples were clueless about His upcoming crucifixion at the Last Supper, He set the tone for how they should live toward each other by lovingly and selflessly washing their dirty feet (John 13:12ff). Is this not the calling of a godly mother? Is she not one who selflessly gives herself to her children? Every time you turn their clothes right-side out because they failed to, you are being Christ to them. Every time you sacrifice your evening to help them write a term paper, you are being Christ to them. Every time you drive to a travel soccer or volleyball game, you are being Christ to them. I know being a servant is demanding and challenging work, but it will be well worth it in the end, for your children will have seen Jesus Christ in action through you, and this will challenge them to live differently.
• When desperate people approached Him, He helped alleviate their nagging need (John 4:46ff . . . the healing of the nobleman’s son).
• When mistreated, He prayed for those who mistreated Him (Luke 23:34).
• When He was with His people, He wasted no time telling them He loved them (John 15:9).
• When He was tempted to sin, He withstood the Devil’s best attempts by quoting Scripture and staying true to the Father’s calling (Matt. 4:1ff).

He demonstrated these lofty, holy, and wise traits, among many others. A wise mother will recognize and embody these qualities, and she will dedicate her life to studying His life so that His life is reflected in every aspect of her own. The goal, of course, will be to give Him glory and also to call her children to follow in His footsteps in their lifetimes. Will you be that mother? Are you that mother? I thank God I have a mother like this. I am who I am because of her impact on my life. When I pray for you to embrace and enjoy life’s transitions, to grow in your ability to live according to heavenly wisdom, and to live to reflect the person of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I speak as one who knows the value of these because I saw them in my dear mother, Sue. I saw them, appreciated them, embraced them, and seek to educate you concerning them, for they are the path to building a family that does great things for God.

May God bless you richly this Mother’s Day. May He be so kind as to permit these three prayers to be evidenced in your life so that not only is your family changed, but your world as well.