Scripture: Isaiah 66:13
“As a mother comforts her child, store
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

Thought for the Day: Humans give God human qualities. This is why we so often refer to God as father, and (less often, unfortunately) as mother. Most people of faith understand these are simply ways for us to comprehend minute aspects of God’s overall infinite and caring nature. We believe God cares for us, and for most of us, our parents care for us, so God as a parent is an easy way to convey the idea that God cares deeply for God’s children (we’re all God’s children, by the way).

God the parent guides us, teaches us, waits patiently for us, reprimands us when we mess up (always to get us back on track, never to condemn us), and comforts us when we’re stressed. As humans, we give certain attributes to mom and others to Dad, so when we feel God is exhibiting comfort, we think of Mom. This isn’t necessarily true for all of us, of course; for some of us dad was more nurturing. But in the 6^th Century or so BCE, the comforter in the household was usually the mother, who had the enormous responsibility of raising and caring for the children—physically, spiritually and mentally, the same way God is raising and caring for us all.

Prayer: Mother God, thank you for your love, your nurturing, and your guidance. I could never do this without you, and I’m glad I don’t have to. Amen.