Mother's Day and the Lord's Day

By Dan Bailey

Mother's Day is not a religious holiday. It is a day that men have set aside in order to remember and honor their mothers. Mothers should be honored every day, not just upon Mother's Day. Some will go out of their way to render a service or honor their mothers on this man-made holiday, while failing to do so throughout the rest of the year. However, Christians honor and care for their mothers throughout the year, and Mother's Day simply provides a little more initiative to do something a little extra. We pause and reflect upon all that our mothers have done, and many times are still doing for us. Some however, reflect upon a mother who has departed from this life. To them the day brings back precious memories.

The thought occurred to me that some people honor mothers with a special day, but they will often fail to honor the Lord on His day. When the apostle John was on the isle of Patmos he said, "l was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet" (Revelation 1:10). Since the first century, Christians have recognized the first day of the week as the Lord's day. Upon this day our Lord was resurrected (See Matthew 28:1-6; Mark 16:9; Luke 24:1-7; John20:1-19). The disciples took the Lord's supper on each first day of the week as they assembled together (Acts 20:7). They observed this because the Lord had authorized them to do so. "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come" (Il Corinthians 11:23-26).

We read where Paul preached unto the brethren on the Lord's day (Acts 20:7). Christians sang praises to God and taught one another in songs (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Furthermore, they prayed in their worship services. "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also" (l Corinthians 14:15). Christians also are commanded to honor God by giving of their means on the first day of the week as they have been prospered (l Corinthians 16:1-2).

Let us never forget to love and honor our mothers, not just on Mother's Day, but on every day. More importantly, let us especially honor and love our Lord by worshipping Him on each Lord's day, and by serving Him and obeying Him on every day of the year.