The Good Mother

Scripture

Hosea 11: 1-4

11 When Israel was a child, I loved him,
    and out of Egypt I called my son.
² The more I called them,
    the more they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals,
    and offering incense to idols.

³ Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
    I took them up in my arms;
    but they did not know that I healed them.
⁴ I led them with cords of human kindness,
    with bands of love.
I was to them like those
    who lift infants to their cheeks.
    I bent down to them and fed them.

⁵ They shall return to the land of Egypt,
    and Assyria shall be their king,
    because they have refused to return to me.
⁶ The sword rages in their cities,
    it consumes their oracle-priests,
    and devours because of their schemes.
⁷ My people are bent on turning away from me.
    To the Most High they call,
    but he does not raise them up at all.

⁸ How can I give you up, Ephraim?
    How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
    How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
    my compassion grows warm and tender.
⁹ I will not execute my fierce anger;
    I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and no mortal,
    the Holy One in your midst,
    and I will not come in wrath.

Devotion

The Reformed Tradition teaches that God is so great and so Holy that God transcends all human understanding.  Still, our brains need something tangible to latch onto as we try to follow God's ways.  The Bible helps us by using various metaphors and images to describe certain aspects of God in a number of ways.  God is a Father.  A Savior.  A Protector.  A Rock.  An Eagle.  A flame.  A whirlwind.  A spring of Living Water.  And in today's passage from Hosea, God is a Mother. 

Hosea was writing as the Northern Kingdom of Israel, including the territory given to the tribe of Ephraim, hovered on the brink of annihilation.  The people had strayed far the Torah's commands to love God and one another.  The prophet Hosea describes the people's betrayal and demonstrates the depths of God's hurt by using a metaphor that they were sure to understand.  Israel and Ephraim were willful children who were running away from the person who loved and cared for them.  Since child-rearing was considered women's work, God is described with maternal imagery.

Hosea describes a Mother God who has done everything possible to nurture her young and defenseless children.  When they were hungry, she fed them.  When they were just beginning to toddle about on their own, she taught them to walk.  When they were in danger of going astray in their early days, She tied them to her with bands of love and led them where they needed to go.  When they were hurt, she healed them.  And perhaps most beautifully of all, she rejoiced in them by lifting them up to her smiling face and covering them with blessings.  

This vivid description of a mother's unfaltering love helps Hosea highlight both the depths of the people's betrayal and the steadfastness of God's love.   Even though their Mother has given them everything they could possibly need, Israel and Ephraim had decided to run away and worship other gods.  Verses 5 through 7 show us a Mother who is so hurt and angry by this betrayal that she is tempted to leave forever and let Israel and Ephraim experience the consequences of their actions.  At the end of the day, though, she can't bring herself to give up her children.  God's heart melts with compassion and she promises to stay with them.  Mother God's love knows no end.

Now is an excellent time to remember the depths of God's love for us.  WE often act like selfish children who run from God's teachings in pursuit of our own pleasures.  Because we betray God so often, it is easy to assume that plagues and other disasters are proof that God has abandoned us or is even punishing us for our sins.  But Scripture promises that no matter how badly we act--not matter how deep our betrayals go--God will never leave us.  Like a good and faithful mother, God's heart recoils at the thought of ever giving us up.  Even when we do not recognize her presence in the moment, God is here to pick us from the depths of despair, heal our injuries, feed our hungry souls, and teach us to walk in her ways.  Our betrayals hurt her immensely, but she will always remain in our midst. 

During this strange and unsettling time, we need to hold onto the knowledge that God loves us beyond all measure.  Therefore, let us take time to listen for our Mother's voice calling to us.  When we heed that voice, God will lift us up and teach us how to walk through this current time of trial.  The Holy One is in our midst.  She will always keep us tied to her with bands of love.
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Prayer

Ever-Faithful God, we thank you for being our good Mother.  Help us hear your voice calling us back to you.  Wrap us in your loving arms, and teach us to walk in your ways.  Amen.