A Mother’s Day Reflection on Psalm 133, God’s Creation, and a Love That Never Fades
This devotional is dedicated to our family matriarchs: my mother-in-law, Wapu Rawali, who’s close to a 100 years old and lives with family back home in PNG and my late mum, Vabu Vavia whom God called home in 2021. Two of the kindest women I know and the best mothers anyone could ever ask for.
Their lives continue to speak, gently and faithfully, like the quiet dew that falls in the early morning: unnoticed by many, yet deeply sustaining to all that they’ve touched or continue to touch.
As I reflect on Psalm 133 and the dew of Hermon, I am reminded not only of God’s beautiful design for unity through His creation, but also of the enduring imprint of lives lived in love, faith, and quiet strength.
We are blessed beyond words to call them our iaia or mama and bubuhahine or pupugarena. Their lives, a testament of God’s goodness and His promise of life forevermore. ❤️
Bible reading 📖
Psalm 133:3 (KJV)
“As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”
Reflections 🙌
For those who follow my wonderings and ponderings, I probably sound like a broken record when I say that Psalm 133 is my late mum’s favourite passage of Scripture.
Whichever translation you choose to read, Verses 1 and 2 speak for themselves and clearly point to the beauty and importance of unity in families, churches, communities, relationships etc. They remind us that when brothers and sisters live together in harmony, it is both good and pleasant in the sight of God.
The Psalmist uses the picture of precious anointing oil flowing down Aaron’s beard to the hem of his garments—of blessing that flows from above and covers everything it touches.
Psalm 133:1–2 (KJV)
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.”
Each time I read this Psalm, I think of my mum. She and her siblings were orphaned at a very young age and were cared for and raised by their extended family—grandparents, uncles, aunties, and others who stepped in to nurture them as their own.
Perhaps that is why Psalm 133 meant so much to her.
She experienced firsthand the goodness and blessing of family members dwelling together in unity. She knew what it was to be sustained by the love, sacrifice, and support of a wider family circle. In many ways, this Psalm was not just a passage she cherished; it was a reflection of the life she had lived.
… like the anointing oil poured over Aaron, flowing down and covering every part of him...
I believe for mum, these words were a testimony to the faithfulness of God, who used the love of family to care for her, sustain her, and shape the woman she would become. And in turn, her life reflected that same love and unity in the family she nurtured and the countless lives she touched through her ministry as a pastor’s wife. ❤️🙏
Verse 3 is where the Psalmist shifts to dew on a mountain—specifically Mt Hermon. This is a real physical location, and if you look it up, you will find that it is known as a primary source of water for the river Jordan. You will also discover many commentaries explaining the significance of this metaphor.
One of my favourite reflections comes from John Piper, who draws the connection to Jesus Christ —the true dew from heaven who brings unity and peace between God and man, between Jew and Gentile, through His death and resurrection, with the promise of eternal life.
My own reflections began with this simple photo I took of dew resting on the plants in my garden. Why does the Psalmist use dew as a symbol of unity?
Dew appears quietly in the early morning, glistening for only a brief moment before the sun rises and dries it away. Moisture gathers, forms into tiny droplets, falls, and then disappears, only for the process to begin again with the next cycle.
So fleeting & temporary, yet so powerful. Such is the wonder of God’s creation. 🙏
Mothers are like dew—gentle, life-giving, and quietly nourishing everything and everyone they touch. They do not arrive with fanfare, yet their presence refreshes, sustains, and brings life in ways that often go unnoticed until we pause to reflect.
Long before we draw our first breath, and even before we are formed in the womb, God, in His infinite wisdom and love, is already weaving our lives together with the woman He has chosen to be our mother. This sacred bond is not accidental; it is part of His divine design from the beginning of time.
Through a mother’s love, sacrifice, prayers, and quiet strength, we catch a glimpse of God’s tender care for His children. And like the morning dew, though her presence may seem gentle and fleeting, the blessing that she is continues to nourish our hearts for a lifetime and beyond. ❤️🙏
In addition, I am reminded that our lives are reflected in this dew, too. We are placed here on earth for God’s purpose and taken when He decides our time is complete. All of God’s creation serves a purpose, and so do we.
When it comes to God’s timing, it is always perfect. It is divine and exists outside of everything He has created.
2 Peter 3:8 (KJV)
“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
Like the dew, we are called to bring refreshment, peace, and blessing wherever God has placed us. We are to live together in harmony, whether we are here for only a few moments or for a hundred years.
So whether we are like the dew—here for a fleeting moment—or live for a hundred years, our aim should be the same:
To please God.
To live in unity and peace with one another. Because where there is unity, the Lord commands His blessing—
even life for evermore.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for our mothers, caregivers & maternal-figures. Thank you for the immense privilege we have in this church to be surrounded by faithful, compassionate, kind, caring and loving women of God.
Lord you see their burdens. You see the days when it’s tough but they get up and continue to work hard to look after their families which sometimes comes at a great personal cost. Father, I pray you lighten the loads of every one of them for You have said in your word, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Lord, as we celebrate Mother’s Day today, help us to honour each and everyone of these women not just today but everyday. Lord thank you for shining your light through them. Thank you for their beautiful & selfless hearts. Please Lord Jesus bless & protect them every day of their lives.
Father God, today we also think of those in our congregation who may find today especially hard or a difficult day.
May your peace and comfort surround them. Help us as church to love and care for them well.
Lord Jesus, help us to be brave & courageous in sharing your good news of salvation and grace to people around us.
In this chaotic times, may people be drawn to find hope & new life in you. May your will be done today and always.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Mother’s Day 2026 prayer by my daughter ❤️🙏
To God be the glory always 🙏
Idau Hahine 