The Assignment of a Mother

Title: The Assignment of a Mother

The assignment of a mother; What is your actual assignment one would ask? Let’s see what webster’s defines as a mother. The Webster’s dictionary defines a mother as-a female parent, especially of the human race: a woman who has borne a child. Now that we have looked at the simple definition that man has offered, let’s journey and see how God defines a mother!

Let’s start with Eve, the mother of all living beings. We can find Eve in the book of Genesis. If you read the beginning of Genesis, you’ll see that our mother lived in paradise. However, she was also kicked out of paradise due to her disobedience. The disobedience caused our mother to be cursed in Genesis 3:16 as God told her, He would multiply her pains in childbirth, and she would give birth to her babies in pain. One would ask, why didn’t our mother just follow instructions and stick to the assignment given to her by God and she would have never been cursed.

Well as we look at our mother’s past behaviors, let’s ask ourselves a couple of questions as mother’s before we pass judgement on her character.

1)Am I on an assignment from God as a mother?

2)Did I ask God questions about my assignment as a mother, and take good notes while listening?

3)Have I asked God the course requirements of the assignment, and can I drop out at any time as a mother?

4)Lord what are the do’s and don’ts of a mother’s assignment?

5)Jesus, do I get a pass, or fail grade as a mother, and when are grades posted?

6) Hmm Abba Father, was I really supposed to read the course book, the Bible, instead of viewing the cliff notes before I took the test to become a mother?

7) God is my grade measured based off how well my child performs in life after my parenting is done?

8) And finally, just one more question, when is my assignment over, or will I always be a mother?

Now that we’ve asked God a number of questions, let’s see if He has answers to our questions. Let’s look into the best resource manual ever created, if you have your sword with you, turn to 2Timothy 3:16 and you’ll see why you only need to read this book, and it says: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. Now that we know this book is accredited, let’s move on!

How about we jump right on in and look at Mother Sarah. Sarah is the Mother of all Nations. Now Sarah as we know had a hard time conceiving according to the Word of God as it reads in the 16th chapter of Genesis and she took matters into her own hands. However, Sarah’s disobedience didn’t stop God’s plans for her life. Sarah in Genesis 21:1-2 became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Now let’s modernize this for just a moment if you will allow me, Sarah had errored and created a dynamic of her own. Sarah was the mother of her child; indeed, however, her husband’s first child was already born by another mother. We’d call this the original baby mama drama today! Sarah knew that as a mother, she was going to protect her child’s rights at all costs because God promised her that he would receive an inheritance. Sarah said, oh no, we’re going to rectify this matter and in Genesis 21:10 she did just that. Read this for yourself, don’t take my words! Mothers will do just about anything to protect their young.

Now how dare me leave you thinking that God didn’t Bless the other mother because he did! This mother was afraid as she sat in a desert. However, God spoke to her and no, her son didn’t receive the inheritance like the other mother’s child, but God made his mother a promise as well in Genesis 21:18. As it reads: Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation. Mother’s can find their save place in Christ Jesus even when it looks like you are alone and by yourself, He’s working it out for your good, the desert isn’t always bad because he will provide water!

Let’s journey on with Mother Rebekah. Rebekah was a mother who played favorites regarding her children. We must be careful as mother’s, not to play favorites with our children and allow God to bless whom he pleases according to His Will as mother’s. I have two children who in the past fought verbally about who is my favorite child. I as a mother have always told both my children, you’re both my favorite children, my favorite daughter, and my favorite son! However, I had one child boldly purchase a sign with the words printed, “I love that we don’t have to say out loud that I’m your favorite child”, lol who does that! And the other child would take personal jabs, stating, I must be the favorite because she has a personal song for me that she sung over me as a baby. Lol They were both wrong, again I say, they are both my favorite children, and now I also have a third favorite child today that I didn’t birth, but it feels like she came straight from my womb. Back to Rebekah, Rebekah as a mother, however, chooses a favorite child and boldly made it known as she placed one child above the other and manipulated things to her own liking as you will see in Genesis 27:6-13. Read it for yourself someday, don’t take my word!

One would have to ask, did Rebekah formulate one of the first heist? She planned an inside job, an elaborate theft.

It wasn’t enough that these two children were born together, and the one was holding onto the others heel. Mothers, I tell you, your children will have sibling disputes but stay neutral and love them both and teach them to love one another! I used to tell my children when they would argue, if I die all you have is each other! Rebekah’s love for one child over another caused her to lose the child she loved the most as he became estranged to her, on the run from his sibling. Rebekah now had to grieve the loss of her child. Mothers don’t ignore the voice of God, Genesis 25:23 says, The Lord said to her, “two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger”. Both children’s steps ordered by the Lord, but as a matter she took things into her own hands. The mother took on a curse for her behavior. Mothers be very careful to not follow your own agenda concerning your children; God is the one with the purpose and plan for their life!

Let’s journey on now with Mother Jochebed. Jochebed saw that there was something special about this handsome son she had birthed! This mother did what most mothers today have not done, entrusted their child into the hands of the Lord! A mother’s unconditional love for her child allowed her to place the child in unknown waters that could possibly result in danger. However, this mother knew there was an order to kill her son! The mother covered the child in prayer, and let the child go into unknown waters. Now watch what God does next, before this mother could even miss her child, God made provisions for her to nurse her child after the child was safely picked from the water by a woman who became his other mother. I hope you all caught that, if you didn’t read your Bibles, Exodus 2:1-10 and you will soon understand the significance of the term picked from the water! Mothers have you seen something special in your child that God will use later for his glory? This mother saw something special in her child not knowing it was all in God’s plan to use this child to save their own people. This mother relinquished her child, what a motherly example of showing us how to let go and let God concerning our children, as Jeremiah 29:11 says, I know the thoughts I have towards you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord. This is exactly what happened because of this mother’s love for her son, the son was able to walk in his purpose. Mothers, if you see something special in your children and don’t understand what it is, pray over them, and allow God to have His way in their lives as they just might be here to save the next generation!

Let’s continue the journey with another selfless love mother, Mother Hannah. Now before we jump into Mother Hannah, this is a broadcast message straight from a CPS worker. Mothers don’t try to drop your children off today like Hannah, this was truly an assignment from God that was placed on her heart, because today in the natural you will catch a case. However, you may not be able to physically drop your child off in the natural today to God, you can still give your child to God daily. Hannah felt the need to give her child back to God because of her miracle conception of the child. Hannah in 1st Samuel 1:9-11 made a vow to give her child back to the Lord, and again mothers I say to you, don’t take my word, read it for yourself. Hannah after nurturing the child kept the vow she had made, and took the child to the Lord as it reads in 1st Samuel 1:27-28, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord, for his whole life he will be given over to the Lord. And he worshiped the Lord there.” Mothers how can we spiritually and physically do what Hannah did. We can follow her example by doing what scripture says, in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”. Next, we can follow Matthew 19:14-15, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. You never know what may happen just by brining your children to worship service on Sunday mornings, I would like to think that God is still blessing and placing his hands on them in the supernatural!

Mother’s I urge us to strongly look at Hannah’s position of leaving her child a little closer for just a moment. She nurtured the child and then let go of the child; sometimes as mother’s we confuse nurturing with hindering! We as mothers forget to let go of our adults, yes, they are still our children. However, the roles have changed as we are only instructed to train up children, not adults. What Hannah did was allow her child to grow up in the ways of the Lord with God, so that God, could use him for his Glory. Today when we as mothers don’t remove ourselves from nurturing and it becomes hindering, our adult children can’t see the miracles, signs and wonders of God, they see Momma, Mommy, or Mom and they think you are the Way Marker, and the Miracle Worker, and the Promise Keeper, and the Light In the Darkness, but you are not that! We can’t always bail our adult children out of failed circumstances in their life as they need to know that Momma is not the Savior, and Jesus is the only one who Saves. We think by supporting them we are being good moms, no, we are becoming an idol whom they are worshiping over God. Mother’s it’s hard, and I can truly testify to this, if you allow your children to do what God says will happen sometimes when they error, and reap what they sow, if they rebel, bad behavior comes with a penalty! If we keep bailing them out of trouble, how will they ever see God! God is Faithful and will do for them what he’s done for us as mothers. Allow your child to see Jesus and get out of the way because God is a jealous God! Mother’s, let’s grow into being a Hannah, give our children back to God and watch him work out the plans for their life as they learn to trust him more and not us! Hannah gave her child totally back to the Lord, and look at what God did with the child, what a Prophet, what a Priest, what a Judge!

Let’s go on a journey now with Mother Naomi. Naomi’s children died; however, she took on a motherly role to her daughter-in-law. Ruth 1:8, reads, “Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, go back, each of you, to your mother’s home”. One daughter-in-law insisted on following Naomi. God use this mother-in-law to provide instruction, support, and guidance to this young woman who refused and clung to her in tears. This mother-in-law during her adult children’s lives, I assume was an example of 2nd Titus 2:3-5, read that for yourself and see. Hmm, could one consider this to be the case because after her sons were deceased, the one daughter-in-law was addiment about going with her. The daughter-in-law made it clear, I don’t want to leave you, where you go, I’m going, and your people will be my people. What a testament to a relationship between two women. This young woman trusted her mother-in-law with her wellbeing, despite the death of her husband. Naomi has set the standard for the characteristics of a mother-in-law! Naomi didn’t deny her daughter-in-law’s request, and they journeyed together. Naomi’s daughter-in-law was loyal to her! Ruth asked her mother-in-law to allow her to seek work, after they returned to her mother-in-law’s homeland. Ruth went out to work, and this job became very profitable for her, lol, I hope you caught that joke! If not let me help you. Let me go ahead and read what I was alluding to, Ruth 3:1-6 reads (read entire scriptures). Well, now this is my kind of mother-in-law, she cultivated her daughter-in-law and omg even helped/encouraged her to be found by a new man and get his attention. That’s what I’m talking about, what mother-in-law is willing to look aside for the sack of her daughter-in-law to help her find a home today! This mother was not concerned about being loyal to her son, she was being obedient to God!

Let’s just look in another direction for a second, it didn’t appear that as a mother-in-law Naomi took the time to criticize, dismiss, or be overbearing in their relationship. If you are a Mother-in-law today, which I am and your son is alive, it would do you well to please God and not your son. Do what’s in the Word of God concerning your children’s marriages. The Word in Genesis 2:24 reads, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and they shall become one flesh”. Mother-in-law’s, upon our son’s taking on a wife, we have a new role. The new role consists of us, minding our own business, our mothering is over, I didn’t say so, God did! If any mother-in-law doesn’t like what I just said, you’re not mad at me you’re trying to refute and ignore God’s Words. It’s interesting although how women can see this point when they are the daughter-in-law but ignore and refuse to see the same command when they are a mother-in-law! Mother-in-laws, I encourage us all to treat our daughters-in-law with the same respect that we want for ourselves!

Now back to Mother Ruth, I was once told that Ruth is how you get a man, and Esther is how you keep him! Ruth, with the assistance of her mother-in-law’s instruction, did all that was told to her, as she laid at his feet and asked him in Ruth 3:9 to take her under his wing, and she went on to state, you are my family redeemer. This is deep, and if you know your Word, you know just what/who I’m speaking of, I know my redeemer lives! Ruth returned to her mother-in-law who asked, girllll, how’d it go? Ruth 3:16, “When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, How did it go, my daughter? “These words sound so affectionate as she speaks with her, not my daughter-in-law, however, now my daughter! So, moving on, Ruth like a good mother instructed her again, as she told her to sit tight and wait for the man! Women young and old, please please sit tight, and wait for the right man as he will come in God’s timing if you are obedient and learn how to wait! Ruth got married and became a mother. Listen very closely to what was said to Naomi concerning the child, Ruth; 4:15, “He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him”. Mother-in-laws Naomi has shown us the way to treat our daughters-in-laws, and we should be mindful not to dismiss her because you don’t know the power of a family’s lineage.

Okay we are almost at the end of our journey of mothers, but not without taking a journey with Mother Mary. We’re going to jump right on in, Luke 1: 28, says, “The angel went to her and said, greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary the mother of Jesus, accepted her assignment directly from the Lord to conceive a child, and not just any child, the son of the Most High God. Luke 1:38 says, “I am the Lord’s servant, Mary answered. May your word to me be fulfilled.” Now honestly, no need to show hands, but how many of us would have said yes to this assignment with no hesitations. Mary demonstrated obedience like none other with her, yes! This mother in advance stepped up upon knowing the circumstances of what her pregnancy would look like to the common eye, but she wasn’t concerned about that, her desire was to please God! Mothers in your spare time, I urge you to read Mary’s song of praise to the Lord, Luke 1:46-55 as it will assure you that as a mother, God keeps his promises.

Now Mary as a mother faced times of confusion while raising her son you will find in Luke 2:48 reads, “His parents didn’t know what to think. Son, his mother said to him, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” Now let’s pause for a second, I don’t see one mother I know of, in this room asking their child this question! Lol Well, let’s continue, Luke 2:49, “But why did you need to search? He asked. Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And again I saw, the mothers I know in this room, including myself, he about to get a whooping with that mouth. However, she couldn’t whoop Jesus! No, this mother must have somehow thought she was losing control of her child, as we see in Mark 3:31-35 which I will read, but turn there with me please. Mother’s it’s a sad day if your children must call you out about your relationship with the Father and check you! Now let’s be clear, I’m not stating that was God’s posture toward his mother. However, in today’s modern times a mother who didn’t have this special born child, would have taken that question to be sarcasm and you just might have got popped. Well let’s move on, again, Mary respectfully couldn’t pop Jesus! Mother’s our children should be able to identify and see Jesus in us! The question is, are we showing off enough Jesus in our character and demeanor as Mothers to the point where our children don’t have to question if we believe and are following God’s Will. What does your walk look like to your on-looking child that’s watching you daily as they grow and learn how to mature in society. Mother’s children pay attention to our every move, and we must lead by giving them a positive example. Mothers hear me out for a second, I’m not saying be a fake religious mother, I’ve been saved my entire life and have done no wrong, I have just been walking with the Lord all my days. Lies! Lies! I say this because if we look at Luke11:13, it reads, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” This tells us that we must make sure our children see Jesus because when they leave our side daily, they encounter Satan’s children and parents. Satan’s children are waiting to befriend them at daycare, at all levels of schooling, the malls, etc. and their parents have no problem being a negative example for our children! Your children will come back home from a sleepover that you approved but failed to ask questions about the parent’s morals/values/beliefs and the next thing you know, Satan has a hold of them!

Ok, I digress, back to Mary. Mary knew in the beginning that her son was more than just her son, he was indeed the Most High son of God. Mary attempted to parent him in her humanism. However, it appears that no matter how Jesus regarded her she maintained humility towards Him as she followed him. I would have to think Mary along this journey with her son, became his sister in Christ as she stood aside knowing he was about to die. Often mothers who bury children battle with strong grief over the loss of their child, this Mary showed it’s okay to stand by and watch your child die for the Glory of it All. Some of us need to step aside and allow our children die to save, because Jesus is the only one who can Save them! John 19:25-26, (read it). Jesus as her son, addressed her from the cross still referring to her as mother, which shows a reflection of her still affectionately being his birth mother. And more importantly Acts 1:14, shows to me how the role changed from mother to sister in Christ at the Ascension of Jesus. Mary’s obedience to her assignment is a testament to live by with our children, we are their mothers who should be striving to mature into a new relationship with them as brother and sisters in Christ!

Let’s journey back as it’s important, we started with our mother Eve, and it seemed like the curse had bound us. Well, let’s look at the scriptures above her curse. Genesis 3:15 reads, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offsprings and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel”. Look at the power of God, despite our mother’s mistakes God already covered us and the Promises remain, we Win! So, for any mother who feels she messed up, it’s okay, God has already made provisions for that, and it’s not an excuse for your children to hold over your head, give your mistakes to Jesus as you’ve been Vindicated, Jesus is Here!

Let’s go back to the questions and see if we can answer them now. (read the questions up top) Here are my responses to those questions, not in any order.

1)Am I on an assignment from God as a mother? Yes

2)Did I ask God questions about my assignment as a mother, and take good notes while listening? Yes and No

3)Have I asked God the course requirements of the assignment, and can I drop out at any time as a mother? Yes and No

4)Lord what are the do’s and don’ts of a mother’s assignment? Learning along the way

5)Jesus, do I get a pass, or fail grade as a mother, and when are grades posted? No grade, Grace and Mercy

6) Hmm Abba Father, was I really supposed to read the course book, the Bible, instead of viewing the cliff notes before I took the test to become a mother? Yes, read your Word!

7) God is my grade measured based off how well my child performs in life after my parenting is done? Nope

8) And finally, just one more question, when is my assignment over, or will I always be a mother? Always a mother on an Assignment for them to become your brother and sister in Christ, to fellowship with one another as Believers in Christ!

Now who am I you ask, your speaker of today, Nicole, I am most importantly a mother who has and will continue to read my course book, His Word that sustains me, I am on an assignment from God as a mother, I am a mother who hasn’t done everything right, I am a mother who isn’t afraid to ask God direct specific questions and wait to hear His response, I am a mother who has trained up her children in the way of the LORD and my parenting is done, I am a mother that has an estranged child and, yet will I trust God to keep us both, I am a mother who will walk in obedience to God and his Word despite what situations look like, I am a mother and my assignment isn’t over as I press toward the mark of the high calling in Jesus Christ for my relation to change from mother to sister in Christ! What is my grade for my assignment one would ask, it’s a well done my good and faithful servant, you have been obedient and won another soul for Christ! I would like to ask every mother and women here today, when God ask you to take on an assignment, what will your response be, mine today is yes! Obedience is better than sacrifice! Happy Mother’s Day, Mother’s, I ask you again what is your assignment as a mother and who are you trusting to grade you? Be blessed!Title: The Assignment of a Mother