Resources of a Godly Mother

INTRODUCTION

Resources of a godly mother or how you can help your wife to be a godly mother or A child’s best gift to his/her mother.

ILLUSTRATION

An elementary teacher was teaching her children about magnets & how they work. She showed them that by moving the magnet close to metal objects, it would pull them & even be powerful enough to pick them up. After she had finished the lesson, she decided to see how well they had learned about magnets. So she said, “I have a question for you. My name begins with ‘M’ & has 6 letters & I pick things up. Who am I?” To her surprise, more than half of them answered, “Mother,” rather than “magnet.” Is that what a mother is? Is she someone who “picks things up?”

ILLUSTRATION

A 16-year-old daughter came into the kitchen on Mother’s Day & found her mother doing the dishes. Horrified, she said, “Mom, you shouldn’t have to do dishes on Mother’s Day!”

Touched by her daughter’s thoughtfulness, the mother started to hand her the dishcloth, when the daughter added, “Why don’t you wait until tomorrow?”

ILLUSTRATION

A 10-year-old boy went early morning to wish his mummy Happy Birthday. After wishing her he said, “Mom why don’t you get up and make breakfast for your birthday?”

Mothers pick things up, mothers do dishes, mothers make food, mothers raise children, take care of home, most of the times go to work and do multitasking. Then mothers take a special care on the spirituality of the home. So it’s difficult being a godly mother today. But as hard as that may be, we need to realize that difficulties are not unique to our time. In every age Motherhood has had it’s share of difficulties.

Resources of a Godly Mother
This morning we are going to look at the parents of Jesus and Samuel for our study:

1. The difficulties Mary faced

a. Tarnished Reputation

Mary was pregnant out of wedlock. Now we know the rest of the story, and that the child in her womb was of the Holy Spirit, & is the Son of God.

But do you think they believed that story in the little town of Nazareth? If you came from a small town you know the gossip that spreads. And here’s this unmarried teenage girl expecting a child. Oh, how the gossips must have enjoyed talking about that!

In fact, 30 years later when Jesus was beginning His ministry, His enemies said to Him, “We are not illegitimate children.” In opposing Him they weren’t above putting in what they thought was a knife & twisting it.

Today you may not feel too comfortable. Maybe there are some things in your past that you’re not very proud of, & you feel guilty. Maybe there are dark skeletons in your closet & you feel unworthy as a godly mother .

Let me remind you. God not only forgives, He also forgets. Encourage your children not to repeat the mistakes you made, but help them realize that God is a God of mercy & grace. You have had a new beginning with Him, so encourage them to live lives that are worthy of His love.

b. Poverty

The book of Philippians says that Jesus was rich and then He became poor for our sakes. I tend to think that we don’t realize how poor Mary & Joseph were. When Jesus was brought to the Temple as a baby for the first time, Joseph & Mary offered 2 doves, the sacrifice of the very poorest in society.

Are you poor? God will take care of you. God will provide for you. If you have experienced the pressure of trying to buy the things your children want – the right running shoes, the right designer clothes, & all the other things they may want very much – then take the time to teach them that life does not consist of the abundance of things we possess. Teach them that there are other things much more important, eternal things we can’t see that will last forever & ever.

Illustration: Jean Barron spent several years living in a little mobile home that was pretty dilapidated. She tells about raising her kids in that kind of environment. Then one day her son came home & announced that his best friend had run away from home. Jean Barron said, “I looked at my child & said, `I don’t understand. He lives in such a nice house & seems to have everything any child could ever want. Why did he run away?’”

Her son answered, “Well, in their home they have a lot of environment, but not very much love. In our home we have lots of love, but not very much environment.”

Love is free. Well, maybe not free. But it doesn’t cost money. It just costs time & attention & emotion.

c. People’s Hatred

Mary faced the difficulty of people’s hatred for her child, even at His birth.

Matthew 2:1-3

1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Matthew 2:13

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

When Jesus was born evil was set in motion to do away with Him. All through Jesus’ life the enemy was plotting to kill him. The same thing happens when a child is born today, for Satan sees that child as God’s gift to you.

Psalms 127:3

Children are an heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.

Satan knows that the quickest way to destroy your family is to attack your child who doesn’t have the maturity or power to deal with him. Jesus said of Satan, ” John 8:44 He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

You may face people’s hatred or jealousy towards your child but God will protect your child. He will send his guarding angels to take care of your family.

d. Being a Single Parent

Mary faced the difficulty of being a single mom like some of you are today. We don’t know what happened to Joseph. Many scholars assume that he must have died when Jesus was in His late teens or early twenties, for the last time he is mentioned was when Jesus was 12 years old & in the Temple at Jerusalem. After that trip, Joseph is never mentioned again. So Mary became a single mom, raising Jesus & their other children by herself.

I want to say to you single moms and fathers, our hats are off to you. You’re having to be both mom & dad to your kids. And when you get up early and go through all the work of getting your children ready for school and church – that’s double work for you, & we want you to know it doesn’t go unnoticed. May God bless you & your children for what you’re doing.

2. The resources Mary had

Mary faced many difficulties, but she also had some valuable resources.

a. Godly mothers need strong commitment to do God’s will.

Luke 1:35

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:38

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary knew that the baby in her womb was God’s only begotten Son, & that by giving birth to Jesus she was doing exactly what God commissioned her to do.

b. An Obedient Child

Mary had the resource of Jesus being an obedient child.

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Mary had the wonderful blessing of a child who was obedient. The best thing you can give your mom on Mother’s Day, kids, is to be obedient. It’s better than cards, better than flowers, better even than chocolate – just be a loving & obedient child!

That’s commanded in the scriptures. Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. And Luke tells us that Jesus was obedient to them. Luke 2:51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.

Jesus said:

Matthew 15:14

Honor your father and mother and anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.

Exodus 20:12

Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

ILLUSTRATION

I like the story about the little boy who came into where his mom was & announced that he had 2 pieces of candy. She asked, “What are you going to do with them?” He answered, “I’m going to eat them.”

Thinking this was a great teaching opportunity, she said to him, “Don’t you think you ought to share the candy with your brother?” He answered, “I don’t have enough to share. So I’m going to eat them myself.”

Well, it was obvious that he needed to be taught about generosity. So she asked, “What do you think Jesus would do if He had 2 pieces?” He answered, “I think Jesus would make 2 more pieces of candy & give them to His brother.”

We don’t always do the right thing, do we? But it would be great, wouldn’t it, to have an obedient child?

c. Godly mother needs a supportive husband.

Now again, we know that Joseph was with her for at least 12 years, and probably a few years longer before he died. But however much time God allowed them to have together, it is obvious that Joseph was supportive of Mary. They had a great relationship as a couple. The Bible says: Matthew 1:24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

So I’ve always imagined that Joseph was a caring, supportive man in Mary’s life, who was there for her whenever she needed him. They shared a great relationship. That resulted in.

i. Shared Worship

Luke 2:22

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

When you look at Hannah and Elkanah they too worshiped God as a family.

1 Samuel 1:3

Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord.
How you worship communicates volumes of information to your children. Are you faithful? Are you faithful to come and meet with God’s redeemed people, week in and week out? Is the Word of God the priority in your life? Are you faithful that prayer should have a high place in your experience spiritually? Are you faithful to live what you affirm that you believe? In other words, the attitude of your spiritual devotion is communicating a Christianity to your children that they will have a hard time overcoming.

We find Hannah and Peninnah worshipping together in the Bible.

ii. Shared love

1 Samuel 1:4-5

4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb.Vital – vital in being a godly mother is sharing the love of your husband, so that there is a security there, there is a warmth there, a trust there, a quietness there. There is the absence of anxiety and frustration, so that the woman can give herself to the children. Once the husband with his love wraps that woman up and secures her, then she can give herself away to her children.

iii. Shared feelings

1 Samuel 1:6-8

6Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

They shared feelings. He read her feelings and he didn’t pontificate, he asked a question. Why are you doing this, Hannah? Haven’t I been better than ten sons to you? Such a sympathetic heart; some of you women are writing this down because you want to remind your husband about that. I understand that. We can be very insensitive, very insensitive. And we can be very quick to give immediate answers to everything without hearing the heart. Not Elkanah, bless him. He knew the conflict, and he knew the conflict was intensified from Peninnah’s side, and he knew that it was deep and painful and it was a hard, hard place for her to be. And so he was tender, and sympathetic, and thoughtful, and he felt her feelings in his own heart.

Godly women

Why is this a godly woman? I’ll tell you. The soil is right to produce a godly mother. She has a right husband relationship. They share worship, the deepest dimension of human life, love, maybe the next deepest dimension of human life. Godly womeshare feelings, maybe the next deepest dimension of human life. They have a deep relationship. They move together in the presence of God, with one another, and over the issues of life that involve other people.

May I say to all the husbands & fathers here: The best thing you can give your wife, the godly mother of your children, today, is not flowers & chocolates & cards, but to be supportive of her, to pray for her, to encourage her, & always to be there for her. Have a good relationship with your wife.

ILLUSTRATION

I love the cartoon that shows a mother in her home. Her hair is in disarray, kids are everywhere, & the house is an absolute shambles. Then her husband comes home from work all neatly dressed in coat & tie, carrying his briefcase.

She takes one look at him, & He looks at her with a big question mark on his face. She tells him, “You come home every evening & ask what I do all day. Today I didn’t do it, & here it is!”

ILLUSTRATION

Billy Graham says his favorite story is of a husband who was not very attentive to his wife. But one day he started feeling guilty about that, & decided to change. So on his way home from work he bought a box of candy & some flowers to surprise his wife.

He walks up to the door & rings the doorbell. She opens it, & there he stands, candy in one hand, flowers in the other, singing, “I love you truly, truly, Dear.” Instantly she starts crying, big old tears just gushing out of her eyes. She sobs, “Oh, Harry! Everything went wrong today. We had a leak in the plumbing. The kids were terrible. The house is a wreck. And now you come home drunk!”

So be careful of how supportive you are. I mean, sometimes you may need to slip into it just a step at a time. But be a good, supportive husband.

d. Godly mother need A close friend

Mary had a close friend who encouraged her. Luke 1:42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

If you remember the story, as Mary is expecting Jesus, she went to be with Elizabeth, an older woman, who was also expecting a child – a miracle birth with her as well. She was expecting John the Baptist. And they spent time together – encouraging one another.

Hebrews 3:13

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

If we become discouraged, it becomes easy for sin to harden us, & the deceitfulness of sin to take over our lives. So we need to encourage the moms today, & help them realize they’re doing a job that no one else can do.

Mary was rewarded for her faithfulness as a godly mother. She was there to see Jesus resurrected from the dead. She was in the upper room when the 120 gathered to pray & the Holy Spirit came upon them. And she lived to see her other children accept Jesus as Messiah & Lord, too. And the God who rewarded her has promised to reward us, too.

CONCLUSION

Friends, Mother’s Day is kind of a mixed bag. I always come to it with a bit of fear & trembling. I’m never sure exactly how to handle it because I know that there are all kinds of different people who will be present. If you have experienced the death of your mother, this could be a day of mourning & grieving as you remember her, & how much you miss her, & how much you would like to talk to her again. If you’re childless, you may feel empty & perhaps unfilled. God can still do a miracle for you. If you had a poor relationship with your mother, you may feel a bit guilty, & wish somehow you could undo that. But it may be too late but develop a good relationship with your child.

I request all the godly mothers here to stand up as we pray for them this Mother’s Day.