As we celebrate mothers this weekend, God has inspired and encouraged me to remember what is important about motherhood. As I read through the following verses, I asked God to reveal how I could be more like this remarkable woman:
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her. “Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs 31:26-31
A woman who lives according to God’s Word is in a remarkable place of power. I can’t think of a better example of this than Jedidah, the mother of King Josiah. The Bible says:
“Josiah was EIGHT years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.”
II Kings 22:1-2
An eight year old boy became king of Judah, a nation dominated by idol worship. When this young king discovered the Book of the Law, he cleansed the entire country of idolatry. It was said of him that he was greater than any king before him or after him (presumably this would include David or Solomon):
“Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.”
II Kings 23:25
Before the age of 8, his mother must have taught him how to KNOW God and LOVE Him. If I could do motherhood all over again, I would want to be more like Jedidah!
Ah, my friend, motherhood is an irreplaceable opportunity to first represent God to our children! A mother carries a child for nine months before birth. After birth, the mother’s body nurtures a child. This nurturing and complete care is a precious, delightful and vivid representation of God that much of the world is missing. Indeed, the “stay at home mom” is greatly devalued by our culture. We place great value on women who “do it all”—those who rear children and make more money than their husbands; or, “do it all”—without a husband at all.
But is THIS goal GREATER than what GOD has planned for women?
My friend, we can be women who capture the greatest opportunities offered by God—to shape the eternal future of the souls of our littles—even those who are not our own!
When we are born again, Jesus makes our soul and spirit alive and able to communicate with God. If God has placed children in your life—especially in their formative years—you have a remarkable opportunity to point them to Christ. While a child is born knowing God, at some point he or she learns the difference between right and wrong and makes a conscious and deliberate decision to sin. At that point the child dies spiritually. (Romans 7:9) Mothers can step in as the first line of defense against the enemy. Mothers can be the first one to share the Gospel with their children and be the one who leads them to accept God’s gift of salvation.
What an eternal and precious gift to lead your child to know Christ!
I wish I had known and understood this great opportunity as a young mother. Unfortunately I was too busy with my career and other less important temporal matters. But There is NOTHING more important than the eternal destination of a human’s soul!!! To all mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and even great-great grandmothers—your life and influence is CRITICAL to the generations of children who will all someday stand before God. Indeed, the greatest accomplishment of a mother—is to see each soul entrusted to her—written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Children are born from our BODY; but what an amazing privilege to train them and birth their SOUL into the family of God!
Truly, motherhood is a remarkable and eternally significant gift!
We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.
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