Picturing God on Mother's Day

What does God look like? Maybe you already answered this question as part of Sunday’s Kids’ Zoom—but if not, take a few minutes to sketch a picture of God. What did you draw?

Chances are, your drawing shows God as an old man with a gray beard wearing a long, white robe. Many of us imagine God like this, because this is how God often appears in art, movies, and cartoons. We might also think of God as an old man because of the words used in the Bible and at church—words like “Father,” “Lord,” and “King.”
In reality, God doesn’t look like a man, or a woman, or even a person at all. God is too big, powerful, and glorious to have a body like ours. We picture God as a father because doing this makes it easier for us to understand God. When we think of God as a father, though, we sometimes forget that God is also like a mother to us in many ways.

This week, in honor of Mother’s Day, let’s take some time to think about mothers, how they care for us, and how God is not just our father, but our mother, too.

Hear
What are some ways that God is like a mother? Watch the video below to learn what the Bible says.

Think
When you’ve finished watching the video, talk about these questions with your family:
  • How does your mom take care of you? What about your dad? What is the same? Are there any differences?
  • How does God care for you like a mother? How does he care for you like a father?
  • If you drew a picture of God now, would it look different than the picture you drew earlier? If so, how?

Do
Connect more deeply with today's lesson by trying one or more of these activities:
Picture
Record a video thank-you.
Make a special video message thanking your mom for the many ways she cares for you. Try to mention at least 3 or 4 things your mom does that are especially important to you. You might also tell your mom your favorite thing about her, or why you think she's special. Be sure to conclude the video by telling your mom how much you love her!
Picture
Show your love with art.
Draw or paint a picture of your mom on a large sheet of construction paper. Around that picture, sketch 5 to 10 medium-sized circles. In each circle, write down something you love about your mom. Then, draw a line from each circle to your mom’s picture.
Picture
Make care coupons.
Cut a sheet of paper into 6 to 8 pieces, then make each piece into a Mother’s Day coupon. The coupons should list different tasks you can do for your mom to show her your love. They might include things like “wash the dishes,” “10-minute back rub,” or “clean my room.” Staple your coupons into a booklet. When your mom uses a coupon, do the job with a smile, remembering how much your mom--and God--do to take care of you each day.
Share what you've made! Take a picture of your project and send it to sfelde@ctkluth.com so we can include it in our online gallery!

Pray
Thank you, God, for being our heavenly parent.
Thank you also for the gift of mothers.
Help us see your love and care in the love and care our moms give us.
Amen.
CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH
17195 CLEVELAND ROAD  +  SOUTH BEND, IN 46635  +  (574) 272-4306