The Pastor’s Piece – Pastor Kevin Cernek, FCFI Chaplain

FCFI

May 3, 2026

Mother’s Day is this weekend, and it provides an opportunity to reflect on the influence of a mother’s love. Among all the things a mother can give her children, perhaps the most valuable is a sense of security, a home where they are safe, known, and loved. That kind of foundation is built through steady presence and consistent love.

I have seen that kind of love firsthand. My wife devoted every ounce of her strength to give our children a secure home. She made it the priority of her life, and for that, I will always be grateful. What she built was more than a household, it was an environment where our children could grow, explore, and face life with confidence, knowing they had a place to return to. Now, that same sense of joy continues in a new generation. Our grandchildren bring an energy and enthusiasm that is impossible to miss. Our oldest granddaughter, who is five years old, stands by the front door of her home, looking out anticipating our arrival. When we get there, she sprints out to our car and when we get out, she leaps into our arms with unrestrained joy. It is more than excitement – it is trust. It is the confidence of a child who knows she is loved and secure.

That image reflects a deeper spiritual truth. In Mark 10:15, Jesus speaks of receiving the kingdom of God like a child. There is something about the way children trust, freely, openly, and without hesitation that captures the kind of relationship God desires with us. That same eager anticipation, that same certainty of being welcomed is meant to characterize our approach to Him.

I am also reminded of my own mother, who is now 91 years old and living in the home where she raised us. She created that same sense of safety and stability for me, my brothers, and my sister. While dad labored hard on the farm, mom nurtured and cared for us, building a firm foundation beneath our lives. She instilled in us truth from the Scriptures that continues to shape our thinking and guide our lives to this day. This reflects what we read in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go…” The investment made in those early years does not disappear; it carries forward and surfaces in all aspects of life right up to the present moment. A mother’s influence, especially when grounded in truth, has a lasting and powerful impact.

The security that a mother provides also points beyond itself. Scripture reminds us in Psalm 46:1 that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” The safety we experience in a loving home is a reflection of the greater security found in God Himself. In Isaiah 66:13, God says, “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” The tenderness and care of a mother offer us a glimpse into the nature of God’s own compassion.

A funny story shared by a friend of ours captures this idea of instinctive trust and belonging. Aunt Jane and her husband, Uncle Jim, loved horses and always kept a few for riding. After her favorite horse died, she purchased another and began to grow attached to it. One day, she heard a knock on the door. When she answered, it was the neighbor, wondering why there was a brand new baby foal lying at her feet on the doorstep. Aunt Jane was confused and told the neighbor that was not her colt and she had no idea where it had come from or how it had ended up there. She wondered how a baby foal could just wander onto her property and lay down at her front door. Well, unbeknownst to her, the horse she had purchased a few months earlier was pregnant, and during the night had given birth. The young foal had slipped under the fence and somehow made its way directly to her front door.

That’s a funny story, but it also carries a lesson for us. That newborn foal, without understanding or direction, instinctively moved toward a place of safety. In a similar way, there is something within us that longs for security, for belonging, for a place where we are known and cared for. Scripture speaks to this in 1 John 4:19: “We love because He first loved us.” Our desire for security is not accidental, it reflects a deeper reality. We were made to find our home in God.

Whether it is a child running into the arms of a grandparent, a mother creating a stable home, or even a newborn foal finding its way to a doorstep, each picture points to the same underlying truth: we are drawn to places of safety because we were created for them. Ultimately, the security we experience in this life is meant to direct us to something greater. Earthly homes, even the best ones, are temporary. But the refuge God offers is constant and unchanging. As Psalm 91:4 reminds us, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge.” That is the deeper meaning behind these moments we cherish. They point us beyond themselves to our God who provides the ultimate security, a place where we are fully known, fully loved, and forever safe.

And perhaps that is the greatest lesson of all. The love of a mother, the joy of a child, and even the instinct of a newborn creature all remind us of this simple truth: we were made for a home. And that home is ultimately found in God.

(Kevin Cernek is Lead Pastor of Martintown Community Church in Martintown, Wisconsin)