Mothers
"Without mothers, we would be naked, hungry, and afraid. So, mothers are a visual picture of God’s tangible care for us through the church."
John Piper
There are a variety of mothering stories I could write about today. Many women have mothered me over the years. Also, I want to honor the mothers of our grandchildren, but am enjoying the company of one of those women today and we've gotten a very early start, so I will wait until next week when I have more time! Today, I want to guide our minds to reflect on some memorable mothers in the Bible. It is amazing how many of these women struggled with infertility, unplanned pregnancies, and giving up their children.
"Since Eve experienced fellowship with God before sin and the fall, she probably knew God more intimately than any other woman after her.
Sarah was the wife of Abraham, which made her the mother of the nation of Israel. She shared in Abraham's journey to the Promised Land and all of the promises God would fulfill there. Yet Sarah was barren. She conceived through a miracle in spite of her old age. Sarah was a good wife, a loyal helper and a builder with Abraham. Her faith serves as a shining example for every person who has to wait on God to act.
Hagar was an Egyptian slave and a maidservant to Sarah, the wife of Abraham; she didn’t have much say about anything and especially not in becoming Abraham’s wife. Though her status changed, she was still secondary to Sarah. Her son, by Abraham, was Ishmael.
When Isaac prayed for his wife, Rebekah, God opened Rebekah's womb and she conceived and gave birth to twin sons, Esau and Jacob. During an age when women were typically submissive, Rebekah was quite assertive. At times Rebekah took matters into her own hands, which didn't always have a good outcome.
Jochebed, the mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, is one of the underappreciated mothers in the Bible, yet she also showed tremendous faith in God. To avoid the mass slaughter of Hebrew boys, she set her baby adrift in the Nile River, hoping someone would find him and raise him. God so worked that her baby was found by Pharaoh's daughter.
Hannah's story is one of the most touching in the entire Bible. Like several other mothers in the Bible, she knew what it meant to suffer long years of barrenness.
In Hannah's case she was cruelly taunted by her husband's other wife. But Hannah never gave up on God. She gave birth to a son, Samuel, then did something entirely selfless to honor her promise to God by giving her son to God.
Bathsheba was the object of King David's lust. David even arranged to have her husband Uriah the Hittite killed to get him out of the way. God was so displeased with David's actions that he struck dead the baby from that union. Despite heartbreaking circumstances, Bathsheba remained loyal to David. Their next son, Solomon, was loved by God and grew up to become Israel's greatest king. From David's line would come to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.
Barren in her old age, Elizabeth was another of the miracle mothers in the Bible. She conceived and gave birth to a son. She and her husband named him John, as an angel had instructed. Like Hannah before her, Elizabeth dedicated her son to God, and like Hannah's son, John the Baptist, became a great prophet.
Mary was the most honored mother in the Bible, the human mother of Jesus. Although she was only a young, humble peasant, Mary accepted God's will for her life. Mary suffered enormous shame and pain, yet never doubted her Son for a moment. Mary stands as highly favored by God, a shining example of obedience and submission to the Father's will."
Most of this "mothers from the Bible" insight comes from https://www.learnreligions.com/mothers-in-the-bible-701220
The Songs
"A Mother's Love" by Jim Brickman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-Z9sXqr44s
My husband's pick for today. "I'll Always Love My Mama" by Soul Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rCQnK2oBE
