To know there are probably millions of like-minded souls doing the same thing today… doing the very same thing which we are participating in is a humbling thought. It is also a powerful thought which should give us spiritual strength and help us grow as Christians knowing we here at Axton are so small in number.
I say all that so I can say this… that while we are united with Christians everywhere in worship… today also gives us an opportunity to focus on a very specific blessing from God—one that has shaped every one of our lives in some way.
Today, we turn our attention to mothers.
From the beginning Jehovah God set the human family up in a very specific way and with a very specific purpose. When Jehovah set His hand to creation, He didn’t act randomly or act without purpose. Everything He made had order, design, and intention. And when we come to the creation of mankind, we see something even more profound—God didn’t just create individuals… He established a structure.
In Genesis chapter 2, we find that God created man first. Beginning with verse 7 –
“7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creater.
Genesis 2:7
Adam was placed in the garden and he was given responsibility, given purpose—but something was missing. God Himself said,
“18 It is not good that man should be alone.”
Genesis 2:18
That’s a powerful statement. In a world where everything else God made was called “good,” this is the first time something is described as “not good.”
And what was the solution?
Well, God didn’t create a system nor did He create an institution. He created a relationship.
He made woman.
“22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.”
Genesis 2:22
Eve was not an afterthought—she was the completion of God’s design. Together, Adam and Eve – man, and woman - formed the first family unit. And notice how intentional this is: man and woman had different roles, different strengths, but equal value before God. Some in the world would say that such a structure would create chaos—but the opposite is true - it was order.
Then in Genesis 2:24, God establishes a principle that still stands today:
“24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother, and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
Genesis 2:24
From that moment forward, the family became the building block of society—not governments, not economies, not institutions—but families. And that is something we see every day that the world has forgotten or ignored.
You see, within that structure, Jehovah assigned roles—not to limit, but to strengthen. The father to lead with love and responsibility. The mother to nurture, to shape, to influence in ways that reach deeper than words can express. Children to be raised, guided, and taught in the ways of the Lord.
When we look at passages like Ephesians chapters 5 and 6, we see that God didn’t abandon that design—He reinforced it. Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Wives are called to support and respect their husbands and children are instructed to obey and honor their parents.
This is not accidental. This is not cultural. This is divine.
And here’s why this matters for us today:
When we honor the roles God has established, the man as the head of the family and the woman as the helpmeet for her husband and the nurturer for children, the family becomes a place of strength, stability, and spiritual growth. But when those roles are ignored, redefined, or diminished, the structure begins to weaken.
That’s why a day like today matters.
Because when we talk about mothers, we are not just talking about a title—we are talking about a role that God Himself built into the very foundation of human life. A role that cannot be replaced, cannot be replicated, and should never be underestimated. That last reminds me of the old sayings about a woman who has been scorned. But even more powerful is a woman whose child has been victimized in some way, be it physical or mental, be it abuse by an adult or bullying by another child. When that happens hold onto your seat cause that momma is going to step in and have what we used to call a “come to Jesus” meeting with the offender.
The point is… that woman, that mother is integral to the proper raising and nurturing of a child.
And when we understand that God designed the family with such care and intention… it helps us better understand the roles we are to perform within it—especially the role of a mother.
Because from the very beginning, a mother’s role has always been one of closeness… of nurturing… of forming life not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. There is a bond there and it is unlike anything else in this world.
But here is something we don’t always stop to think about: Embedded within God’s design for motherhood… is the reality of release.
You see, when God established the family in Genesis 2:24—
“24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast (or ‘cleave’ some versions say) to his wife, and they shall become one flesh”
Genesis 2:24
—Jehovah God was doing more than defining marriage. He was also revealing something about parenting.
Children were never meant to stay.
They were meant to grow… to mature… to step out… and to form lives of their own.
And that means that a mother’s role, as beautiful and as close as it is, carries within it a quiet, often difficult truth—there will come a time when she has to let go.
Not because she wants to and not because she has failed.
But because that is how Jehovah God designed it.
From the very first steps a child takes… to the first day of school… to the moment they begin making decisions on their own… and eventually to the day they leave home… a mother is constantly walking this delicate line between holding on and letting go.
Picture this scenario if you will. There’s a little boy on his first day of school. His mom walks him up to the school house door, she kneels down, straightens his shirt, wets her fingers with her tongue and brushes his hair back… and then the moment comes. He doesn’t want to go in. He grabs her hand tighter, and for a second… she almost gives in.
Because every instinct in her says, “Keep him close. Protect him. Don’t let go.” But she knows something he doesn’t. If she holds on in that moment… she may comfort him now, but she will limit him later.
So, she gently pries his fingers loose… smiles… and says, “You’re going to be okay.”
And as he walks in, she does what a lot of moms have done… she stands there a second longer than she needs to. Because letting go… even when it’s right… is never easy.
It’s never easy because the same heart that nurtures… is the heart that feels the separation the deepest.
But here is the beauty of God’s design: A mother is not just preparing a child to stay close… she is preparing them to stand on their own.
To walk in truth, to live faithfully and to serve God for themselves.
And so, in a very real way, motherhood is not just about raising children…It’s about releasing them into the world equipped with everything they need to live for God.
And when a mother reaches those moments of letting go… whether it’s small steps or life-changing ones… it’s not a loss. It is a fulfillment of the role God gave her from the very beginning.
Letting go of a child to go out into the world is difficult. I’m reminded of a country song by my favorite female country singer – Suzy Bogguss. Back in 1992 Suzy released the hit song “Letting Go.” Now I could stand here and tell you about it but instead I’d like to read you one verse of the lyrics because it so eloquently describes a mother “Letting Go” of her child to go into the world.
She'll take the painting in the hallway,
The one she did in jr. high
And that old lamp up in the attic,
She'll need some light to study by.
She's had 18 years to get ready for this day
She should be past the tears, she cries some anyway
Oh letting go
There's nothing in the way now,
Oh letting go, there's room enough to fly
And even though, she's spent her whole life waiting,
It's never easy letting go.
This idea of letting go isn’t just something we observe in life today… it is something we see lived out in the pages of Scripture.
In fact, some of the most powerful examples of faith in the Bible are found in mothers who had to release their children into God’s hands.
Take for example Hannah in 1 Samuel.
Hannah longed for a child. She prayed with such intensity that her lips moved but no sound came out. She made a vow to God—“If You will give me a son, I will give him back to You all the days of his life.”
And God answered her prayer.
She held that child. She nursed him and loved him. She named him Samuel.
And then… she kept her promise.
When he was still young, she brought him to the house of the Lord and left him there to serve.
Can you imagine what that moment might have been like? Walking away… knowing your child is staying behind. That wasn’t abandonment. That was faith.
You see, Hannah understood something—this child was never truly hers to keep. He belonged to God first.
Then there is Jochebed, the mother of Moses, in Exodus.
At a time when Hebrew baby boys were being put to death on Pharaoh’s orders, she hid her son as long as she could. But there came a moment when she could no longer keep him safe. And so she did something you know had to have broken her heart… she placed him in a basket, and set him into the Nile River. She let go.
Not because she stopped loving him—but because holding on was no longer the safest or the best thing for him. In the Nile there were crocodiles, hippos, snakes, and so much more which could have ended Moses’ story right there. But God took Jochebed’s act of surrender… and turned it into deliverance. And we know the story of Moses.
And then we come to Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the gospel of Luke.
From the very beginning, she knew her child was different. She was told who He would be… AND more importantly what He would do. But knowing it… and living it… are two different things. Mary raised Jesus and watched Him grow. She saw Him begin His ministry… and then step into a mission that would take Him further and further from her protection.
Ultimately… she stood at the cross. Stood there watching her son suffer. Watching Him die.
Talk about letting go…
Not just releasing Him to a life of purpose—but surrendering Him to the will of God, even when it meant pain she could not stop.
And what do all these mothers have in common?
Well, they loved their child deeply. They held on tightly to their child. And when the time came… they trusted God enough to let go.
And that is where this message meets us today.
Because for every mother, in one way or another, there comes a moment where love has to shift…
Shift from holding on… to trusting God with what you can no longer control.
So, what does all of this mean… for the mothers sitting here today? It means that motherhood, as God designed it, isn’t just about raising children… it’s about preparing them to belong to God.
And that changes everything.
Because if our children ultimately belong to Him, then our role is not to control every step they take… but to guide them, shape them, and then trust God with the rest.
To mothers of younger children (for the benefit of younger mothers watching this on YouTube)… right now, your world is full of holding on.
Holding your child’s hands.
Holding them close at night.
Holding their attention as you teach them right from wrong.
Don’t miss that season—it matters more than you know. Because what you are pouring into them now… is what will guide them later when you are no longer there to hold them the same way.
You are building the foundation they will stand on when the time comes to step out.
To the mothers of teenagers… you are in that in-between place. Your teenage child still needs you… but they don’t always think they do.
This is where letting go begins in small ways.
You start loosening your grip—not your love, not your guidance—but your control. You begin allowing them to make decisions… to learn… sometimes even to fail.
And that’s hard. Every instinct in you wants to step in and fix it. But sometimes the most loving thing you can do… is step back just enough for them to grow.
Now… to the mothers of adult children…you have already felt the weight of letting go. Your children have their own lives now. Their own homes. Their own decisions to make. And if we’re honest… sometimes their decisions aren’t the ones you would make. That can be one of the hardest parts of all.
This part of the sermon is hard for me because my mother didn’t live to see me return to God… but you know what – she trusted in God that the nurturing and teaching she raised me on would help me find my way back to the Lord. And thanks to our Lord God Jehovah – I did. Because I had a mother who trusted God first and joyfully accepted the role in the family which God entrusted her with.
Mother’s, if you didn’t realize it before, hopefully now you will realize it very clearly - you can’t live your child’s life for them and you can’t make all their choices for them.
All you can do… is trust in the God you taught them about.
Pray for them.
Encourage them.
Love them.
And place them back into the hands of the One who loved them even before you did.
To every mother here today… let me say this clearly: Letting go is not losing your child. It is trusting God with your child. It is not the end of your role—it is the fulfillment of it.
Because a faithful mother does not raise children to depend on her forever… she raises them to depend on God.
Now… here’s the question that sits in front of us all today:
Have we prepared the next generation? Have we prepared them to walk with God when we are no longer the ones holding their hand? When YOU are no longer the one holding their hand. That is the true measure of success in God’s design for the family.
For some, letting go means releasing worry, or for others, it means releasing control. While for still others it may even mean releasing a child you’ve been trying to hold onto spiritually… and trusting God to work in ways which you cannot.
But whatever it looks like for you… know this: The very same God who gave you that child… is the same God who walks with them when you cannot. And you can trust Him.
And so this morning… as we bring this lesson to a close… perhaps the greatest thing we can say to our mothers is simply this:
Thank you.
Thank you for the prayers we never heard.
For the tears we never saw.
For the sleepless nights, the worry, the guidance, the correction, the sacrifices, and the love that so often went unnoticed.
And for many mothers… thank you for having the courage to let go when the time came.
To trust God with the children you loved so deeply.
Maybe this morning there is someone here who realizes they have wandered far from the foundation they were raised upon.
Maybe there is someone remembering the prayers of a faithful mother… a faithful grandmother… someone who tried to point you toward Christ. Or…
…Maybe today is the day those teachings finally bring you back.
And perhaps there is a mother here today carrying a heavy burden for a child—praying, hoping, waiting, trusting God for them.
Don’t stop praying. And don’t stop trusting.
The God who hears a mother’s prayers is still working even when we cannot see it.
But for all of us, the question comes down to this:
Are we living in the will of God?
Have we obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Are we walking faithfully with Him?
Because one day every earthly relationship will come to an end… but our relationship with God is eternal.
And so, this morning, if you need to come to Christ in obedience—through faith, repentance, confession, and baptism… the opportunity is here.
If you need prayers… encouragement… or restoration… this church family stands ready to help.
And if nothing else, perhaps today is simply a day to thank God for the mothers who helped guide us toward Him.
And the lesson is yours.
Comments