I Will Not Forget You

Hallelujah! Happy Mother’s Day! As I get older, I find myself reflecting more on my mother, who went to heaven six years ago. I remember how she would painstakingly pack seven or eight lunches every morning—not just for her four children, but for the nieces and nephews who lived with us. She was a true ‘prayer warrior’ who woke up at 3:00 or 4:00 AM every day to pray for three hours for our family and our nation. When I think of her, my heart swells with gratitude and my eyes well up with tears. I’m sure many of you share similar tender memories of your own mothers.

Mothers sacrifice everything—their desires, rest, and comfort—to pour love into their children. To the mothers here today: you have worked a lifetime, raising your children and serving your families and the church. I pray that God comforts you with a great reward.

The Legacy of Maternal Faith

Why do we love “Mother” so much? Because maternal love is the closest earthly reflection of unconditional, sacrificial love. The Bible is full of such devotion.

Consider Jochebed, the mother of Moses. She defied Pharaoh’s orders, risking her own life to save her son, hiding him for months and eventually placing him in a papyrus basket on the Nile. Through God’s providence, she became the baby’s nurse and raised him until he was weaned. With the urgency she taught young Moses about his Hebrew identity and faith in God during those short years! Without a mother’s life-risking devotion and legacy of faith, the great Moses who saved a nation would not have existed.

In the New Testament, before Timothy became Paul’s faithful coworker and his “true son in the faith,” there was a legacy of faith from both his mother and grandmother. Faith is a legacy that spans generations. Similarly, Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, prayed with tears for 30 years for her wayward son. Never lose heart if your children are struggling. A mother’s persistent, tearful prayer has the power to mold a child into a person of great faith.

An Even Greater Love

However, today’s scripture reveals love even deeper than a mother’s. In Isaiah 49:15, the Lord asks: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast… Though she may forget, I will not forget you!”

Even the strongest human bond can falter in extreme crisis, but God’s love is immutable. Verse 16 explains why: “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” He cannot forget you because your name is engraved in His very being. Even when Israel turned to idols, God remained faithful, eventually bringing them home from captivity.

Jesus expressed this same divine ache in Luke 13:34, longing to gather His people “as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.” Despite our disobedience, God never gives up. Ultimately, Jesus gave His life on the cross to fulfill this “never-giving-up” love.

Our Response Today

A mother’s love is a gift, but it is also a responsibility. On this Mother’s Day, I urge you to embrace the legacy of faith left by your parents. Express the gratitude you may have kept hidden.

There is a poignant Korean saying: “The tree wishes to be still, but the wind does not stop; the child wishes to care for the parents, but the parents do not wait.” Life is short. Let us honor our living parents and elders today, repenting for the times we lacked a whole heart.

As a church, we must lead by example—not just talk. Let us show our children a God-fearing faith through our worship, our love for the Word, and our gratitude.

As we remember our Heavenly Father who never forgets us, and the grace of our parents, I bless you all. May you pass on a legacy of faith to your children, and may you build beautiful families of faith that enjoy God’s blessings for generations to face. Amen.