with love

My name is Liz and I watch TV talent shows. It all started back when I was a kid.   I used to look forward to Young Talent Time every week and dream about being up there singing with Tina Arena and Johnny Bowles. As I grew, I moved on to watching such shows as New Faces and Perth’s Young Entertainers. Later came Australian Idol, Australia’s Got Talent and The X Factor. Now it’s The Voice. And so far this season I haven’t missed an episode.(Whatever you may now think of my viewing preference, please read on!)Apart from the music, one thing I’ve particularly enjoyed about this season of The Voice is watching the reunions between the singers who’ve been chosen and their family members. Seeing all those Mums and Dads in the audience and in the viewing room, cheering on their kids has been so heart-warming.One of the competitors is 44 years old and has been playing music since he was 5 years old but has never broken into the big time. When he was singing on the show, his 60-something Dad was there cheering him on and was then so emotional and overcome with happiness when his son made it through. This brought tears to my eyes and reminded me again just how invested in their children most parents are.Today on Mother’s Day, we celebrate and remember Mums. We recognise and thank God for the way they love deeply, make sacrifices, and very often put themselves last for their children. Mums (Dads too) are first and foremost on our side and want the best for us. Apart from in marriage, we rarely find that strength of love and of desire for good on our behalf anywhere else.Except in God.Psalm 139 tells us that God knows us more intimately than anyone else and has loved us since before we were born. John 3:16 tells us God loves us so much he would give up his only son to keep us in relationship with Him. John 10:10 reminds us that Jesus came so we could have life in all its fullness. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us God has plans for us which will give us hope and a future. Romans 8 says that God works all things for our good and Paul then says in verse 31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”.Today we give thanks for Mums.  Some of us might also be grieving losses. Whatever today is for you, we walk with you through it; celebrating, praying or mourning. But today we also point to the God who loves you even more than your Mum, whose desire for you to live your best life is greater than your Mum’s and whose longing to be in close relationship with you is stronger than anyone else’s  in your life.Love and Blessings, Liz