“O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 1:11 NIV).
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8 ESV).
This coming Sunday we will celebrate Mother’s Day. As that day approaches I’m mindful of the sacrificial love that comes from God and is often exhibited in mothers for their children.
I say “often” exhibited, because this isn’t always the case. In our modern culture, motherhood is also often postponed or pushed aside for more self-fulfilling accomplishments and priorities, such as pursuing a career. Some women avoid motherhood altogether just because it’s inconvenient.
Then there are women like my daughter-in-law, Caroline. She has advanced degrees from UNC and ECU. She has a promising career in education at our local college. Yet she spent the last eight weeks lying flat of her back trying to give her unborn son Conner a chance at life.
Caroline’s water broke at 18 weeks. Miraculously, she was able to carry Conner until her 26th week when she went into labor and he was born by c-section. Conner’s heart was strong, but his lungs were undeveloped. He only lived outside the womb for 14 hours.
Was Caroline’s sacrifice wasted? I say absolutely not. She did all that a mother could do to give Conner a chance to live. She loved him with a love that sacrificed her own body to see him born. Her love and sacrifice remind me of a woman in the Bible named Hannah.
Hannah was barren. She prayed that God would give her a son. If He would, she prayed, then she would give him back to God for all his days. And so, God answered her prayer. Hannah named her son Samuel. He was one of the greatest prophets and priests of the Bible. His mother weaned him and gave him to Eli the priest to raise. Samuel grew up serving in the Tent of Meeting. Hearing the voice of God from an early age, he was the last judge over Israel.
Caroline, like Hannah, endured the sacrifice of motherhood and then gave her son back to God. Conner didn’t live on this earth very long, but his brief life has brought great glory to God. People all over the world have heard about him because of Caroline’s blog “The Journey of Conner.” In less than eight weeks, her blog received over 55 thousand views. She has had comments from Australia, South Korea, India and all over the U.S. Young mothers struggling with PPROM (Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes) have been especially encouraged by Caroline’s story of love and faith in God for the sake of baby Conner.
I believe that this kind of sacrificial love comes from God. The apostle John tells us that “God is love.” God the Father demonstrated His love to us by giving us His Son, Jesus.
I think God also gives us a glimpse of His divine love through a mother’s love, mothers like Hannah and Caroline…
… and every other mother who has loved her child with sacrificial love.
Happy Mother’s Day!