Mother's Matter to God

Motherhood is Diverse

When reading the Bible, we do see examples of what a traditional family looks like with a groom and bride meeting and marrying at a young age and remaining a couple for the rest of their lives and having children.

And while this is a great and ideal situation, for most of us we know that life as we know it can be a bit more complicated than that.

In our present age, there is not a one size fits all scenario for what a family looks like.

Many of us myself included have stepchildren or bonus children as I like to call them because like a bonus, they are a blessing from the Lord.

For other people they were either not able to or chose not to have children biologically, but they are still a mother figure or what we would call an honorary mother.

Furthermore, there are many other people who either are adopted or have adopted a child who may not have blood ties to their respective parents or children but are very much family indeed.

In addition, there are family dynamics when a grandmother, older sibling, relative or family friend is raising a child due to life circumstances and they may not have the official title of parent, but they are the parent in all the ways which matter in terms of loving and providing for the child.

Psalm 113:9 (ESV)

9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!

While this Scripture can rightly be interpreted to say that the Lord will bless a woman who cannot conceive with children, it can also be referenced to provide comfort and blessings to those women who do not biologically have their own children to reassure her that she is not defined by her ability to have children and furthermore that the Lord loves her and can still make her a joyous mother.

There is no doubt there is a very special bond between a biological mother and her child and I as a man can never fully appreciate that special bond, but my point is that a woman who does not carry a child in her womb can still be a loving mother to a child and have a very special connection with them.

I wanted to make this distinction early in the message today because I know that Mother’s Day is for some a reason for celebration, for others a reminder of pain and still for others it can be awkward but today I want to celebrate and honor all mothers biological, adopted or honorary and tell you that you matter to your child and you matter to God and you matter to One Light Church and that as your Pastor, you matter to me as well.

Mother’s Are Entrusted by God to Continue His Work

If you were to ask most people who was the first mother in the Bible the obvious answer would be Eve.

Genesis 3:20 ESV

20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Eve’s name in Hebrew is Chawwah, and is related to the Hebrew verb chayah, which may be translated “to live” This is why Eve is described as the mother of all life.

So again, while most of us would say the first mother in the Bible was Eve there is actually the initial giving of life, before Eve ever had the ability to give it.

Genesis 2:7 ESV

7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

This verse demonstrates that God created the human race and cares for us when we cannot care for ourselves.

It is a high honor to know that you as a mother are literally carrying on the work of the Lord by birthing new life and carrying for someone who cannot care for themselves.

As we just read in Genesis 2:7 God used the dust of the ground and the breath of life to create mankind in His image.

Then the Lord used a rib from Adam to create Eve.

Genesis 2:20–24 ESV

20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Both Adam and Eve were handcrafted by God with great care and attention to detail. Since humans are made in the image of God, we are in fact the height of His creation for there is nothing else He has made which is made in His image.

So we can clearly see then that the Lord honors mothers with allowing them to birth more of not only His creation but the height of His creation into the world and also to help the children who cannot help themselves!

Similarly as Jesus in the Great Commission honors us a Christians by allowing and instructing us to continue the work of His ministry, God also honors women to allow and instruct them to be mothers throughout the generations.

Character of a Godly Mother

Now that we have discussed that all women can be a mother and also confirmed through Scripture that women who are called by the Lord to be mothers are continuing His work, now let us look at the character of a godly mother. There are so many things that a mother does for her children and family that we could cover many topics but for the sake of time this morning I want to focus on the most important characteristic in my opinion and that is a mother’s love.

A Mother’s Love is the Most important Quality of Being a Godly Mother

The Apostle Paul writes about love in 1 Corinthians 13:13 and ends by saying:

1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Paul also writes Titus about older women helping to teach the younger women how to love their families in a practical sense.

Titus 2:3–4 ESV

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,

There are many different parenting styles and opinions on them but the most important thing you can do as a mother is to love your child and to make that child feel loved.

It does not matter how old I get I always feel better after I speak with my mom. No matter what is going on in her life, she always makes the time for me and is happy to spend time with me and I can feel that love even as an adult.

The same is true with my own children. Pastor Angel has a great relationship with the kids and while I do as well and make myself available to them when the kids really need something or someone to talk to, they always go to Angel first. They feel completely loved by her and know that she absolutely adores them.

For some people loving others comes naturally such as my mom and Angel but for others I do realize that it is not so easy and takes work because maybe its not your natural personality or maybe you have never been shown what love looks like, but I assure you that when you seek the Lord, He will help you to be able to express your love in ways that your children will see and feel. Also, even if you do not always feel like you are expressing your love well, you are most likely doing a better job than you think so do not be hard on yourself. If you continue to struggle as we read earlier in Titus 2 lean on the wisdom of your sisters in Christ who can really be a great support system.

In addition to the health and happiness of your child another reason it is so important to demonstrate love to your children is because in addition to being their mom you and their father are also called to be their first Pastors.

Yes, that right, it will be you as the parent that will introduce Jesus to your kids. They will learn about Him through your words and through your walk and above all from your Christlike love. And while it is true that every human being will have to choose the Lord for themselves when they grow up and unfortunately some will not make the right choice, Scripture tells us that the good seeds of the gospel of Jesus will not come back void and that they will most likely return to their faith later in life.

Proverbs 22:6 ESV

6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

The wonderful gift of a mother’s love is not only a treasured gift in the natural realm, but her love extends to the supernatural when she shares her faith in Jesus with her children.

3 John 4 ESV

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

I can tell you that as a parent you will have too will have no greater joy that to know and see your children put their faith in Jesus and no greater heartache if they do not.

A Mothers Love is Sacrificial

The last element of love I want to touch on is that of a mother’s sacrificial love. It is absolutely inspiring and very moving to see what length’s a mother will do to make sure her child has what they need even if it means that she has less or goes without all together.

In the natural realm this is easy to see even in the early stages of motherhood when a woman is pregnant or when the child is first born. Every decision she makes from how much sleep she does or does not get, to what she eats or what type of environments are safe to be around to the obvious physical toll that comes from carrying and having a child. She puts her comfort aside to do what is right for her child because of one reason and that reason is love.

John 16:21 ESV

21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

Through all the sacrifice and pain the sacrificial mother’s love is not diminished rather it continues to grow.

Thank You Mothers

In closing, I again would like to say from the bottom of my heart thank you. Thank you to all the mothers from my own mother to my beautiful bride and mother of my children, to all the mothers at OLC and those watching online. Thank you for your love, protection, patience, sacrifice and for answering the call which the Lord has placed on your life.

It is a right and wonderful thing that in the day and age we live in that women have the opportunity to do whatever they chose to do. I encourage my daughters and wife to dream big and work hard for it. I also agree that motherhood does not define who you are as a person because you are not one dimensional and are more than motherhood alone.

However, I will tell you again as I have said before, being a mom, any type of mom, is a sacred and holy work which the Lord has entrusted you with.

It is a work of the upmost importance and it pleases the Lord when you answer the call.

Please do not feel pressure to be perfect or compare yourself to someone else because the Lord has specially equipped you for the work, He has called you to do, and He understands as humans we are not perfect.

On those days when you feel like you do not measure up remember your identity is in Christ Jesus and that He is there to comfort you and help you.

On the days you feel overwhelmed or underappreciated know that when you try your best, you are good enough, you are important, and you are making a difference in the lives of others.

To sum up this message as a mother, you matter to God.

As a Pastor, you matter to this church.

As a human being you matter to me.

Moms we love you and honor you today and every day and may you be richly blessed all the days of your life in Christ Jesus, Amen.

As always, I am Pastor Rich and remember our joy come from Jesus.