Prayer & Care for Mothers

Prayer & Care for Mothers

I've had this draft sitting since Monday (May 13), the day after "Mother's Day." I'm glad I waited to publish, since more people have violently reacted to our confessional view of the Lord's Day. Emotional reactions. Not actual refutations. Accusing us of not honoring our mothers. As if all your obedience to the 5th Commandment depends on celebrating Mother's Day.

Celebrate Mother’s Day or nothing. That seems to be the sentiment.

I guess no Christian ever honored their mother until this holiday was invented.
Very Sad. Anyway.

As I was reflecting on "Mother's Day" and the faux-honoring of mothers by church (even to the minimum of a "Happy Mother's Day" or a special prayer for the mothers), I considered on our own Reformed pattern of worship, and realized that wives and mothers are more valued within it.

One mark of our Reformed worship is the Pastoral Prayer (aptly called "The Long Prayer"), and in this prayer are the specifics concerns of the congregation.

Every Lord's Day, one of our Elders prays to the Lord on behalf of the congregation, and every Lord's Day, he prays for our wives and mothers.

Do you think our women feel slighted or disrespected because we don't adjust our priorities on Sunday, for "Mother's Day"? You would have to ask them.

We actually take public worship seriously enough to not alter it for any human-made occasion. And our Elders understand and practice pastoral care personally and publicly.

Publicly we confess that God has granted mothers and wives a vital vocation in helping their husbands, keeping the home, and raising their children.
We ask grace for them to submit to their husbands, to do their duty, to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
We pray that they would not listen to the lies of the world (and most of the evangelical church) that demeans and dishonors the duties of wives and mothers.

I don't think it's too presumptuous to say that the women, wives, and mothers in our congregation receive more care and attention than those in the evangelical churches that try to do something special on Mother's Day. If it was standard practice and worship to care for their needs, I don't think there would even be a desire to cater to that "Hallmark holiday."

Perhaps it's just compensation (like Holy Week for a sinful life in general). Being the center of attention one Sunday a year is just faux-honor if the shepherds of the church don't care the rest of the year.

*And if anyone is thinking "why not both?", read the previous post.

Here's what I say regarding those who took offense and lashed out against our not adding to the ordinary worship of God:
Your view of corporate worship is too small.
And your idea of honoring mothers is too small.

Not just once a year when some arbitrary calendar suggests it, but every Lord's Day, our Elders bring our ladies, wives, and mothers before the throne of grace.

By this the proper, biblical value of wives and mothers and the vital vocation of keeping the home and child-rearing is clearly shown every Lord's Day in corporate worship.

And I dare say that's more comforting, encouraging, and honoring to our ladies than all the evangelical pageantry of "Mother's Day" combined.