Superheroes: The Blessings of Motherhood

[0:00] Of course, it's Mother's Day today and we acknowledge all the mums and our own mums.! Thinking of mothers today and some of the things the Bible tells us about mums. And when you think about it, mothers have a massive powerful influence.

[0:18] I commend the mums here today amongst us and of course my own mum as for one. Let's take a look at what the Bible tells us about mothers and how to be a mother of godly influence.

[0:33] What does a godly mother look like? And mums here today, you can be a mother who lives a God-fearing life before your own children.

[0:44] Here's some examples we can turn to that speak to us about what is a godly mum, how to be such a mum. Firstly, I put to you that a godly mother teaches. The Bible shows how a mother is really the one who takes that special care, that spiritual training of her children.

[1:05] And Paul gives credit to the mother and the grandmother of Timothy. He gives credit for Timothy's mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois.

[1:20] They contributed to Timothy's spiritual life in a very special way. And he tells Timothy this in 2 Timothy 1 verse 5. He says, When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice.

[1:40] And I'm persuaded that in thee also. You see that chain of the grandmother, the mother and Timothy. Of course, we don't inherit salvation from a Christian mother or grandmother.

[1:56] But the godly mother and grandmother have that influence of teaching and training. And Eunice and Lois, grandmother and mother of Timothy, are noted here for their vital role in nurturing Timothy's faith and character.

[2:14] It's a great example to us of mums, for mothers amongst us today. Here's a way mums can be a godly witness, isn't it? And it's interesting too, the thought of grandmothers.

[2:26] We don't always think, well, actually not just the mum, but the grandmothers as well. And it's a wonderful witness here of these ones to Timothy. Here's a way mums can be a witness.

[2:42] And mums here today, think of how you can be that one who models your faith to your children. It's a special role that you have. Mothers, you can mark through nurture your children.

[2:55] You can make your mark. And mothers, you can teach by your example. That's what Lois and Eunice did. They demonstrated their faith. And it was unfeigned. Notice that word unfeigned. It was real.

[3:06] It wasn't fake. It wasn't pretend. There's no pretense it was real. It was a real faith. And they demonstrated that real faith through their actions, through their lifestyles. Mothers, you are investing into your children every day.

[3:19] And even when they've left home, you still have the impact. You're putting in that time and that energy, aren't you, into their upbringing. And it will bring forth fruit. Timothy knew the Bible. We see that in 2 Timothy 3 verse 15.

[3:32] It tells of Timothy, He knew the Bible.

[3:44] Why? You would reckon it must have had something to do with the teaching of his mother. Mothers, you have such a crucial role.

[3:55] And you can bring so much encouragement and support. You can impart that word of God to them, your children from childhood. That's what happened to Timothy.

[4:06] And mothers, you can teach your children through life and live. Mothers, you can transmit your faith and pass down those values and beliefs.

[4:17] It doesn't always follow. They may not always follow. But you can do your part to impart. And mothers can give that child of theirs the roots that will anchor them for the years ahead.

[4:29] There's a certain type of pine tree, I'm told. It's said of this tree that during the first five years of its life, it only grows one foot. Five years. It only grows one foot high.

[4:40] Only one foot above the ground. But during those first five years of the tree's life, it grows its roots four foot deep. Four foot deep.

[4:52] It's these roots, isn't it, that will hold that tree, that will make that tree strong, that will hold it in place. These roots that will help that tree to get those waters deep in dry times.

[5:03] Those roots are going to keep that tree alive for a lifetime. And it's the same for childhood, isn't it? The impact we make as parents, as mothers, on the children in those growing up years, those early years, so important.

[5:18] Children can get blown off course so easily. They're easily deceived. We can make that first impact, especially in the early days, in those early times, especially so.

[5:31] And Eunice, the mother of Timothy, she played this crucial role in shaping her son's faith. Lois, the grandmother too, had that special influence, passing the faith down, such that there was a passing it down to subsequent generations.

[5:49] Think of that. Even us older mums here, you can think, how can you keep that legacy going, that intergenerational impact that you can have? And she passed it on to her son and the grandmother to her grandson.

[6:04] So that's the legacy, isn't it, of faith, of sincere faith, of real faith. It was true. And she was real with her faith. And this is what she taught also by her life, not just her words.

[6:19] And mothers here, you have such an impact you can make of that spiritual nurturing, that lasting impact, that effect that mothers and grandmothers can have on their own families.

[6:31] It's such a precious thing, isn't it? Mothers and grandmothers here today can all think of that wonderful truth that Eunice and Lois demonstrated that. Eunice was a teacher of the faith.

[6:42] And it was her consistent example and teaching that instilled in Timothy the word of God from a young age. She modelled a life of genuine faith and devotion to God.

[6:55] And mums, dads, we have to help our children grow, don't we? Grow those roots down deep, especially in those first days, those first years.

[7:06] Teach them the truth, teach them the scriptures, that they can hear the word of God as you read it through, as you pray it through. Tell them Bible stories.

[7:17] Read the word to them. Have time with the word with your children. Teach them the truth, the scriptures, when they are young. Pray for them. This is your God-given role.

[7:28] Mums, so important to think of the spiritual role that you can play, that nurture, that bringing up your child. In the ways of the Lord. God helping you. Because if they need to make their own profession, they need to make their own stand of faith, to come to faith, to believe, to receive.

[7:47] But you can play your part to nurture, to foster that. And Timothy was one. He was mentored by both his mother and his grandmother, to be that faithful co-worker with Paul.

[8:02] Eunice's example reminds us of the profound influence that mums have in nurturing that spiritual growth and passing on that legacy of their faith from generation to generation.

[8:14] So a godly mother teaches. Another truth is that a godly mother prays. Hannah is an example of this. And she's an example of such a woman. A woman of prayer.

[8:25] In 1 Samuel, we find the story of Hannah. And she was a woman who fervently prayed. She prayed for a child. And her story is one of fervent prayer, of unwavering faith.

[8:38] Despite facing infertility and ridicule, she poured out her heart to God, earnestly seeking a child. We read that there in 1 Samuel 1 verse 10. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

[8:55] She was deeply moved to pray for a child. And verse 11. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but will give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life.

[9:22] And there shall no razor come upon his head. She prayed for the gift of motherhood. And Hannah surrendered her desires to God's will. She trusted in the unseen hand.

[9:34] Verse 12, it reads on. And it came to pass as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. Eli the priest was there as she was praying.

[9:47] Verse 13. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken?

[10:01] Put away thy wine from thee. Hers was a heartfelt prayer. She poured out her heart and soul. But it seemed to Eli that she was under some other influence.

[10:12] But really it was just a heartfelt prayer. And verse 15. And Hannah answered and said, No, my Lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the Lord.

[10:27] So her heart was to pray. Her heart was to pour out her soul. She remained steadfast in her faith. It was the power of faith here at work. And she poured out her heart before the Lord.

[10:38] And that's believing prayer here. We see her believing prayer. And believing prayer can work wonders. Hannah was moved to pray. And a fervent prayer in the temple moved Eli the priest.

[10:50] God blessed Hannah with the calling of motherhood. She gave birth to Samuel who became a mighty prophet. And Hannah teaches us the power of prayer, of faith, of persistence.

[11:02] And Hannah shows us that God hears and he answers the cries of his children. And so Hannah's persistence in prayer here speaks to us of the power of faith, of seeking God with that unwavering faith in the face of adversity.

[11:18] And Hannah's dedication, her commitment here, it shows God's will was what moved her. That she was submitting to God's will. As she promised to dedicate her son, Samuel, yet to be born to the service of God.

[11:35] And we pick it up in 1 Samuel 1, 27. So, as her prayer was answered, and now she was a mother, and she says this, For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him.

[11:51] Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he liveth, he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshiped the Lord there. So, again, she was speaking, Eli was present, and she said, I prayed for this child, and I'm going to lend him to the Lord.

[12:13] She honoured her commitment. Her faith was rewarded with Samuel. Now she would honour him with dedicating her son to the Lord.

[12:26] And mums, dads, here today, this is how we should see our children. They're lent unto us, really, aren't they? And so we want to lend them unto the Lord. They're his gift to us.

[12:37] We see them as our children. And yet, it's really God has given children to us, into our care, such that now we can dedicate them for God.

[12:52] And when you think of that precious gift that is a child, you know, when I held my first little baby in my arms. And think of those days of that fragile life in your hands, and such a precious gift, isn't it?

[13:06] And Hannah nurtured her son for the glory of God. Hannah surrendered her desires to God. She trusted in his plan. And so when God blessed her with that little bundle, she lent him unto the Lord.

[13:22] And she acknowledged God, God's will, God's plan, trusted in that. What about us? Will we do this with our children? You know, we all have children that we love and care for.

[13:37] We want to minister to them, to see them grow and be blessed. And mums especially got that special role. A godly mother teaches. A godly mother prays.

[13:49] A godly mother also believes. Another mother in the Bible is Sarah. Another mother we can learn from and her example. And here she was, Sarah, long past the age of bearing children.

[14:03] And she hears some astounding proclamation from visitors to her tent. This is in the area of Genesis 17.

[14:14] And she hears this proclamation as these visitors come, and they say she will bear a son. Here was Sarah. She spent years waiting, hoping against hope.

[14:25] Years of disappointment and bitterness. And Sarah, she shows such human doubt in really the divine promise. It was an emotional journey for her.

[14:36] Her first reaction was to laugh when she heard the news. This was absurd. This was a crazy, even thought. And her first reaction was that emotional reaction to laugh.

[14:48] It was an emotional journey. And for Sarah, this idea of her giving birth in her old age seemed utterly absurd.

[15:00] The promise of God. It seemed incredulous to her, this promise. And laughter bubbles up in her. Not the laughter of joy, but a laughter of somewhat of disbelief.

[15:14] Perhaps she was torn between her longing for the fulfillment of the promise, but knowing the discouraging circumstances around her. Could she dare to hope again after years of disappointment?

[15:26] Could she trust a promise that seemed so impossible? And it tells us there in Romans 9 verse 9, For this is the word of promise, Sarah shall have a son.

[15:37] That was the promise. That was what she was told. God told her, this is the word of promise. Sarah shall have a son. And think of this today of the godly mother.

[15:52] The godly mother believes the word of God. The word of God. And friends, this Bible is full of exceeding great and precious promises.

[16:04] It's jam-packed full of promises, isn't it? It's cover to cover of promises. And it tells us here, this book jammed full of promises, precious promises, whereby are given unto as exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

[16:26] It tells us we're given exceeding great and precious promises, the word of God. And a godly mother believes. That's what Sarah did come to that place of believing.

[16:37] Believing the word, the promises of God. God has promised. God has promised. And God has promised for Sarah this blessing. Pick it up there in Genesis 17, verse 16.

[16:52] And I will bless her and give thee a son also of her. Yea, I will bless her. And she shall be a mother of nations. Kings of people shall be of her. Here was this one so discouraged and seemed all hope was lost.

[17:08] And God says, I will bless her. I will give her a son. And she shall be a mother of nations. So here was Sarah. Despite her advanced age of long-standing barrenness, Sarah ultimately bore a son, fulfilling God's covenant with Abraham.

[17:28] Genesis 21. And Hebrews 11 highlights Sarah's faith. We see that there in Hebrews 11. It says, through faith. Through faith. Also, Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

[17:48] So Sarah, given this promise, she acknowledged the faithfulness of God, the one who had promised. Notice through faith.

[17:59] By faith, Sarah. Through faith, Sarah. Sarah, the wife of Abraham, she came to live out her life with patience and trust in God's promises. Sarah believed God.

[18:10] Sarah believed God. And in the fullness of time, Sarah's laughter, that was somewhat a symbol of doubt, became a testament of faith.

[18:22] As here she is, Sarah, holding in her arms her newborn son. And she names him Isaac, which means he laughs. A reminder of both her initial laughter of disbelief and the laughter of joy that now fills her heart.

[18:38] Isaac, he laughs. Sarah waited for years for that fulfillment of God's promise of a son. And now she could cradle him in her arms.

[18:49] And her laughter mingles with tears of joy. God blessed her faith. The godly mother believes. God blessed her faith. Sarah became the mother of nations.

[19:01] Sarah lived out her faith with patience and a trust in God's timing and provision, even when the circumstances seemed bleak. Despite her doubts and laughter at the promise, she ultimately believed.

[19:13] And think of it, friends, today. Mum's here today. Mother's to be. God's plans unfold in his perfect time, don't they? Not ours. And see, Sarah's journey, it speaks to us today of faith, of what faith can do.

[19:30] God's promises. And when you think of life, of faith, it can be messy. There's times of doubt, of discouragement, of struggle, times of laughter, and times of joy, of blessing.

[19:45] In it all, God's promises are faithful. We can judge him faithful. He is promised. We can know God is faithful. We can know God's promises are faithful. And like Sarah, we may find that even the laughter of disbelief can be transformed into the laughter of joyful faith, of joy in our God, that God can transform and do his work in our lives.

[20:10] Another thing about godly mums is a godly mother is faithful. Ruth is an example of such a woman, a faithful woman. It tells of Ruth that she showed such great loyalty and faithfulness that she was so devoted to her mother-in-law.

[20:29] So we've heard about mothers, grandmothers. We can think about mothers-in-law. Now, mothers-in-law, we can thank God for mothers-in-law, can't we? All the sons-in-law said, Amen. We can thank God for mothers-in-law.

[20:41] And so Ruth had her mother-in-law, Naomi, and she was so devoted to her. And this was a time of hardship, of uncertainty, but Ruth remained steadfast in her commitment to Naomi.

[20:56] And she said, Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people. And your God, my God. You know, think of Ruth. She stood by her loved ones, even in this most challenging of times.

[21:10] She could have gone back to where she was from, but no, she wanted to stay with Naomi as the one. And Naomi's God, she wanted to stay in that place with her newfound faith and with her family.

[21:33] And then God blessed Ruth for her faithfulness in that she became a mother too with her own family. And Ruth became, as we know, the mother of Obed, who became the father of Jesse, the father of King David.

[21:48] A godly mother is faithful, faithful. So a godly mother teaches, a godly mother prays, a godly mother believes, a godly mother is faithful.

[21:59] And lastly, also, a godly mother is to be praised. A godly mother is to be praised. We see the final chapter of the book of Proverbs. And it paints this vivid portrait of an ideal woman.

[22:12] Of course, it's describing my wife. You could call her the Proverbs 31 woman, couldn't you? The Proverbs 31 woman. And we see that there. Look at this woman, the virtuous woman.

[22:24] The model mother. She's described as industrious, as wise, as compassionate, as God-fearing. You know, read the Proverbs for homework when you get home. Proverbs 31.

[22:35] It's just jammed full of so many truths about the godly wife, the godly mum. And we see this woman, she fulfills various roles as the wife, as the mother.

[22:48] As really a community leader in her own right, with excellence and grace, marking her steps. And we see, as it reads here, of this one, this mother.

[23:00] Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also. And he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. So we see the Proverbs 31 woman.

[23:12] She serves us this inspiration, this challenging model for women of all ages. And we see her many virtues, her strengths, her dignity, her goodness.

[23:23] And we can follow that example, can't we? Mum's here today. Look at what makes this mother stand out. We see her strength, her dignity. We see her woman with that inner strength.

[23:35] And she's a wise woman. She's praised for her wisdom, her discernment, her kindness and compassion. Here's a mother who makes wise decisions for her family. She provides guidance for her children.

[23:47] She exercises grace and understanding. There's much we can learn. Mums, dads, all of us. Of this wife, of this virtuous woman, the virtue of this woman.

[23:58] Here's a woman who provides such grace and understanding. And she's commended. She's commended for her hard work. There's something about her. She's got an application of her life that she wants to meet the needs of her household.

[24:14] And so she works diligently to provide for her household. And she's got this work ethic. She's got this powerful example that she's setting for her own children, for the world.

[24:25] And this mum, she's teaching her children the value of hard work and perseverance. It tells us of this woman how she instructs her children in wisdom.

[24:36] She's teaching them valuable life lessons. What a picture it is. Here's a woman known for her nurture and care. And look, we could look more at all the qualities there as you could unpack that Proverbs 31.

[24:54] We see this woman, she cares for her family. She ensures they're well clothed and fed. And this nurturing aspect of her character, it shows her love and care.

[25:05] And we think of that as we think of mums today. Think of mothers, the care they provide for their children. And really the hours and hours of investment of their life, of their time, of their energy.

[25:21] The hours, the overtime, the unpaid hours. Such a pouring out of time. What time, you think of the value of time. I don't know what your hourly rate is, but I think what my hourly rate used to be.

[25:35] What it used to be. And what mothers think. If those hours, if you paid a mother for all of those hours, plus overtime. Think, wow. It's colossal, isn't it?

[25:46] And they do it all for free, don't they? They do it all for the love of it. Fancy that. Think of that brothers and sisters today. And yet they're so undervalued, aren't they?

[25:58] We can take our mums for granted. All the hours that poured out. It's huge. And mums provide such a warm and supportive environment.

[26:11] And of this mother, it talks about how she's got financial responsibility. She's prudent in managing her household finances. This mother says she invests wisely and she ensures that her family's needs are met.

[26:24] She's selfless, truly. The Proverbs 31 woman. You know, we think of it for ourselves. I think of my own mother, of my grandmother too, that I can recall. I think of how they've invested into my life.

[26:37] And we can all think of that for ourselves. Of your mother. And for some we know, sadly, may have passed on. But we can have fond memories, can't we? We can have glad memories of how they've touched our lives.

[26:49] And what they've given. How they've given something. They've invested in us. And the Proverbs 31 woman, she prioritized the needs of her family above her own. Think of the selflessness.

[27:01] That's the hallmark of a devoted and loving mother. Motherhood. Motherhood. Just think of that. It calls for self-sacrifice to put the needs of others first.

[27:13] And we all think of our own mums. If we're not a mum today, we can think of our own mums. And we see of this one, this Proverbs 31 woman. She's such a woman, such a mother, that she's worthy of praise. Just to close with this one.

[27:26] It tells of her. It tells of this virtuous woman. Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain. But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

[27:38] Above all, the Proverbs 31 woman, what sets her apart? She's a woman who fears the Lord. She shall be praised. She has that reverence for God, that commitment, that faith, that regard, that worship of God.

[27:55] That God has the uppermost place. That reverence of Him. That honour of Him. And she shows it with her life. And the fear of God. Really, it should influence every aspect of all of our lives.

[28:09] And for this one, she's marked with that. That, yeah, she's one who fears the Lord. She's one who puts God as the primary thought in her mind.

[28:20] That primary motivator of what she chooses to do with her life. And in her role as a mother too. And so really, one of the most important legacies of a mum is to pass on these values, this faith.

[28:33] That fear of God. And she shall be praised. There's going to be praise there of her. So mothers, in closing, mothers, be like Eunice and Lois. Be like Eunice and Lois and impart your faith.

[28:46] God helping you. Be an imparter of your faith. That real faith. To teach the Word of God to your children. Be like Eunice and Lois. Be like Hannah and pray.

[28:58] Believing. Yielding to God's will. And His way for your children. Be like Hannah and pray. And be like Sarah. And believe God's promises. Trust Him.

[29:09] Even when humanly you would laugh. But, oh, how could God do that for me? Yet God can work wonders. God can work wonders. Pray, believe, trust.

[29:20] Hang on to God. God can work wonders in your home. In your home. In your family. In your loved ones that may have left home now. You can keep on praying and believing, can't you?

[29:31] For your sons and your daughters. I do. The ones that have left their home. Left our home. They're not under that cover of my home now. They've got their own home and their own families. But, yeah, we can still be an impact on them still.

[29:45] And so we can believe like Sarah, God's promises. And we can be like Ruth. Faithful. Honouring her mother-in-law as well.

[29:56] Being steadfast. Standing with the people of God. Ruth. And be like the Proverbs 31 woman. A virtuous woman. There was virtue there.

[30:07] It wasn't a virtue of her own making. It wasn't a virtue as in some outward show or looks. It was what was inside of her. It was that fear of God.

[30:18] That's what made her beautiful. That is what made her want to be praised. It was that faithful, industrious, caring, providing. That making of wise choices.

[30:30] That kindness. That strength and honour. Strength and honour. That was the Proverbs 31 woman. And we read that her children rise up and call her blessed.

[30:43] Her husband also. And he prays with her. Let us pray. Lord, we thank you that we can see in Timothy. Of course, he had to come to his own place of faith and trust to know you personally.

[30:56] We think of mums of the impact we can have on our own Timothys, as it were. Our own children. That they would learn the word of God. Lord, that we can be an influence, an example, a godly role model.

[31:10] We pray for all the mums here. Those that might be joining from afar online. Lord, we pray for the mums, the grandmas. Lord, we pray that we would honour, as you tell us to honour our father and mother.

[31:23] Lord, that we would honour them. And that we would be, if we are such a mum or a grandmam or a great grandma, Lord, that we would keep imparting.

[31:34] Keep on imparting. Keep being that virtuous woman. Keep being that faithful one. Keep on being an influence. That legacy, that impact of our own faith can minister to even generations ahead of us.

[31:50] Generations yet unborn. Lord, we thank you for that. We thank you, Lord, for the wonderful truth that we can know you as our Saviour and Lord and follow you in truth.

[32:02] And know, Lord, that you minister to our own families. We think of our children, grandchildren. We think of mothers, grandmothers. We think of our extended families.

[32:14] Lord, that you would minister. We know there's hurt sometimes. There's loss. There's heartache, Lord. Yet, Lord, you can minister. You are the one who is overshadowing with your care.

[32:26] And we thank you for these things in Jesus' precious name. Amen. Amen.