The references in scripture to God as a mother are numerous.  “Under His wings” is a mother figure.  The mother-bird gathers her brood up under her wings to feel the heat of her body, and for protection.  The word mother is not used for God in the Bible.  I think it is because with God “father” includes “mother.”  It takes more of the human to tell the story than of the divine.  With God, all the strength of the father and all the fine love of the mother are combined in that word “father.”  And His will for us is a mother’s will, a wise loving mother’s will for the darling of her heart.

The third word is friend.  I do not mean to use it in the cheaper meaning.  There is a certain kindliness of speech in which all acquaintances are called friends.  Tupper says, we call all men friends who are not known to be enemies.  But I mean to use the word in its finer meaning.  Here, a friend is one who loves you for your sake only and steadfastly loves without regard to any return, even a return-love.  The English have a saying that you may fill a church with your acquaintances, and not fill the pulpit seats with your friends.  If you may have in your life one or two real friends you are very wealthy.  If you will think for a moment of the very best friend you ever knew anybody to have.  Then remember this:  God is a friend.  Only He is ever so much better a friend than the best friend you ever knew of.  And the plan He has thought out for your life is such a one as that word would suggest.

The fourth word, I almost hesitate to use, yet I am sure I need not here.  The hesitancy is because the word and its relationship are spoken of lightly, frivolously, so much, even in good circles.  I mean that rare fine word lover.  Where two have met, and acquaintance has deepened into friendship, and that in turn into the holiest emotion, the highest friendship.  What would he not do for her!  She becomes the new human centre of his life.  In a good sense he worships the ground she treads upon.  And she—­she will leave wealth for poverty if only so she may be with him in the coming days.  She will leave home and friends, and go to the ends of the earth if his service calls him there.  You think of the finest lover, man or woman, you ever knew anybody to have.  Then remember this, and let me say it in soft, reverent tones, God is a lover—­shall I say in yet more reverent voice, a sweetheart-lover.  Only He is so much finer a lover than the finest lover you ever knew of.  And His will, His plan for your life and mine—­it hushes my heart to say it—­is a lover’s plan for his only loved one.