“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” – Isaiah 49:15 (NIV)
In 1st Kings 3:16-28, King Solomon settled a dispute between two women who claimed to be the mother of the same child. In summary, both women, while living in the same house, gave birth to sons three days apart. One of the women claimed that the other one son died because the mother lay on him, and that woman arose at midnight and, while she slept, took her live son away from her and laid her dead son at her breast. The woman further complained that when she arose to nurse her child and examined the child closely, she observed that the baby was not what she had borne.
King Solomon, after taking into consideration that there was no witness to the dispute, proposed cutting the living child in two with the sword, giving half to each woman. The unrepentant mother, acting out of spite, agreed that the baby should be divided. The real mother, realising the gravity of the situation, pleaded with King Solomon to give the baby to the other woman rather than to see him killed. By this act of compassion, the King discerned that the real mother was the one demonstrating selfless, maternal, and sacrificial love for her child: she preferred to lose him rather than see him dead. The king ordered that the child be given to her.
The sacrificial love of a mother for her child or children should never be understated. There is a bonding of a mother and child from the womb during pregnancy, labour, and breastfeeding. During this process, high levels of oxytocin are released, which promotes love, trust, and intense emotional attachment. This bonding results in a lifetime commitment to their children and their determination to offer whatever support is necessary to assist them in their life’s journey.
Mothers, continue to make sacrifices for your children, whether it’s giving up your personal time, career opportunities, or your own dreams; demonstrate that selfless sacrifice – the hallmark of your love.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray for all mothers, especially those who are single parents, who are struggling financially to maintain their children. Mothers who have to provide emotional, social, and moral support to their children who have been abandoned by their fathers. We pray, God, that you give them the strength to cope. Your Word decree in Philippians 4:19 (KJV), “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. We pray that as they seek You, You will bless them accordingly, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
Read: Genesis 21:16; Isaiah 66:13
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 22:12-21; Mark 1:29-45; Mark 2:1-17; Exodus 19; Exodus 20