Lutheran Seminary – Moved by the Promise – God Pause – Saturday,
11 January 2014 – "Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth" ELW 735
While not identified as a baptismal hymn in Evangelical Lutheran
Worship, this beautiful text calls us to imagine God as a divine Mother who
births, feeds, nurtures and faithfully tends to us—her children—as we grow. It
seems to me to be a beautiful proclamation of the giftsgiven in baptism.
When I was pregnant with my children, the images of God as
Mother fascinated me and drew me more deeply into the mystery of faith. The
child in my womb was completely dependent upon me for life, as I am dependent
on God. The child "lived, moved, and had its being" (Acts 17) in me,
just as I live, move, and have my being in God's love by virtue of my baptism
into Christ. And in the same way as I have held my children in arms of
(mostly!) patience while they flower into young adults, God holds me,
encouraging me to root, grow, and flower in love for God and for my neighbor.
And finally, when my baptism is fulfilled in death, I will "know" my
Mothering God and rejoice in her presence.
Mothering God, nurture us by your patient love, so that we may
grow and flower as caring partners with all your creation. Amen.
Rachel Thorson Mithelman
Pastor, St. Johns Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa
Master of Divinity , 1983
"Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth," by Jean Janzen,
based on the writing of Juliana of Norwich (15th century)
1. Mothering God, you gave me birth
in the bright morning of this world.
Creator, Source of every breath,
you are my rain, my wind, my sun.
2. Mothering Christ, you took my form,
offering me your food of light,
grain of life, and grape of love,
your very body for my peace.
3. Mothering Spirit, nurturing one,
in arms of patience hold me close,
so that in faith I root and grow
until I flower, until I know.
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