Security

Security

Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on my hand.

Isaiah 49:15-16

Those of you moms who have nursed children from your breasts probably have a picture of security in your mind. I remember times that my babies were oh-so-fussy—either tired, hungry, or just plain-old cranky—and the only thing that seemed to satisfy them was putting them to my breast. They often fell asleep there. Even if the room had been full of mothers, I was the one who had what the baby needed.

This mental picture of a mother who has power to feed and settle a baby gives us a glimpse into the meaning of El Shaddai, one of the names of God used in the Old Testament. El stands for might or power, and Shaddai describes the power of all-bountifulness. Shaddai came from the Hebrew word Shad, meaning “breasted.”

If anyone can understand how the title “Breasted” came to mean “Almighty,” it’s a mother. Kay Arthur writes, “A babe is crying—restless. Nothing can quiet it. Yes! The breast can. . . . The breast can give it fresh life, nourishment. By her breast the mother has almost infinite power over the child.”^a

In an even more secure and everlasting way, God is our El Shaddai, the one who pours himself out for us when we run or cry out to him.

El Shaddai,

Milk from mothers’ breasts eventually dries up, but your supply of nourishment is everlasting. Thank you that there is always plenty for us all. Amen.