When hiking in the woods you don’t want to get between a mama bear and her cubs. A friend of mine was literally chased up a tree when she found herself in this situation. Among humans, a mother’s love forms one of the most powerful bonds on the planet. Mother’s Day is a big deal because mothers are big deals.

A mom extends love and devotion towards her children despite the less than stellar actions of the kids. In this, she mirrors the Lord. Psalm 106 starts with Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

The psalmist then lists several ways the people of Israel tested the Lord’s love. They craved meat in the wilderness, they jealously opposed Moses, they bowed to an image of a calf and refused to enter the promised land. Later they worshipped the Baals and sacrificed their living children to demonic gods. God delivered discipline, but he never left.

When the people returned to the Lord, he blessed them once again: Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

Despite our background of sins against God and man, the Lord showers those who cry to him in humility with a profusion of faithful love. We don’t deserve it, but God grants it. It’s called grace—unmerited favor—and as he did for the children of Israel, the Lord also extends such love to each and every one of us.

Psalm 106

Photo by Cristina Glebova