Honoring our First Witness by Loving One Another 

Genesis 2:15 

And the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 

As I shared last week, man’s original purpose on earth was to dress it and keep it for our sustainment and shared enjoyment with God. In order to dress and keep; maintain and manage, we must first bear witness of its existence and God’s presence within.   

Just as God first witnessed his creation of the earth and all within by proclaiming it was Good, we are placed here to seek out and witness the presence of God in the earth to acknowledge and celebrate God’s goodness and grace.  

On this Mother’s Day, I am reminded of Woman as God’s first witness of man as God’s manifested presence in the earth. And the presence of Woman as Man’s first personalized witness of God’s love for his children and creations.  

Genesis 2:20-22 

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him. 

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof. 

And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he woman, and brought her unto him.   

God seeing that his son was alone as the like and kind made in the image of God, created woman as a witness of God’s presence in man and to serve as a witness for man of God’s presence with him always.  

From the very beginning of man’s existence on earth, God has placed us to serve as a witness of creation and presence among, for and with one another.  

And for most of us, our mothers have served as that first witness of God’s presence in person and as their offspring, we often have served as a reminder of God’s continued presence with and within them.  

Just as Eve acknowledged the seed of life within her when she discovered she was pregnant with Seth.  

And just as Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, felt the baby move in her womb upon the presence of Mary pregnant with Jesus Christ. We are called to acknowledge and witness God’s continued creation of life, sustainment and hope in this world.  

Genesis 4:25 

And Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, she said, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.  

Luke 1:41-42 

And it came to pass, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. 

And she spoke out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.   

Today as we honor our mothers as the holders of creation and our first witness of God’s divine presence on earth, let us be reminded that as Children of God, Families of God, Houses of God and Nations of God we too are called to witness and acknowledge the presence of God in every area of our lives.  

God has given us example after example through scripture, from his acknowledgement that his creations were good in Genesis 1 to and through the birth and resurrection of Jesus.  

Luke 2:16-18 

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manager. 

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad saying which was told them concerning this child. 

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.  

1 Peter 1:3 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.    

Just as we are called to honor and respect our mothers and our fathers, showing witness of our respect and reverential fear of God. We are also called to love our neighbors as ourselves and as God has loved us.    

John 13:34 

A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.