Pastor John Van Sloten

Ok, moms, I’m working on my sermon for Mother’s day – on the maternal heart of God – and I’m wondering if you could help me out… by responding to the following two questions;

1. What’s the biggest thing that being a mom has taught you about what God is like?

2. How does your answer to question one resonate with the Bible’s teachings on the nature of God?

Thanks for your help in advance (I figured it would be a bit disingenuous for me to go and preach about something I know nothing about!)

This morning, as I was walking through a parking lot en route to a Canadian Tire auto repair shop, I noticed a very young mom leaving her car with her infant daughter in her arms.  She was heading toward the medical clinic in the mall, and left her car running.  At first I thought that was strange but then realized that someone else was her driver.  Someone she evidently didn’t respect all that much.   I know that because as I was walking with this woman a few feet behind me she angrily said, “You’re just a piece of shit!”  When I turned around she embarrassingly said, “No, not the baby…  I’m not talking to her.”   I could sense she was referring to her driver, who I assumed was her mom.  “Glad you weren’t talking to me,” I said.  She just turned red and briskly entered the clinic doors.   

I was kind of shocked for a minute or two.  Her outburst reminded me of a time when I told my mom to F%&* off in a Canadian Tire store when I was 15 years old.  I still can’t believe I did that.   I often wish I could take it back.

A few minutes ago I got off the phone with my mother.  She’s going into minor surgery tomorrow and I knew she was feeling anxious, so I thought I’d call.  I’d already spoken to her twice this week, each time thinking I could maybe say a prayer for her, but avoided the unease of bringing it up.  This time I screwed up the courage to ask her if I could.  Her immediate response was that she was just going to ask me to do the same.   And so I prayed for and with my mom… and the words flowed in a ‘just right’ kind of way.  After I said, Amen, my mom thanked me and through tears said, “That was so beautiful John.  I feel more peaceful already.”  

Penitent prayerful words covering over a multitude of verbal sins.