The Blessings of a Godly Mother
On this day that we
honor mothers; it’s good for us to think about how much Mothers really do. In
1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed the 2nd Sunday in May as
Mother's Day at the suggestion of Anna Jaruis. Since that time, the popularity
and importance of Mother's Day has soared. Well over twenty million Americans
will call their Mother today. Over 125 million Mother's Day cards will be given
today. Only about
half that many Father's Day cards are given. The
Bible does tell us to "Honor your father and mother" in both the Old
Testament and the New Testament. In Exodus
Jimmy Dean had it correct when in
his tribute he said,
"Many
people look through their wallet or their pocket books and, way down at the
bottom, past the credit cards and baby pictures and so on, you usually find a
little 'ol piece of dog-eared poetry.
I
was cleaning out my wallet the other day and ran across a whole bunch of
I.O.U's, some of 'em thirty-five years overdue. Funny thing is all these I.O.U's
are owed to one person and I kinda felt that maybe right now might be a pretty
good time for an accountin'.
Mom,
are you listenin'?
Mom,
I.O.U. for so many things..... A lot of services, like nightwatchman for
instance.....For lyin' awake nights, listenin' for coughs and cries and creakin' floorboards.....and me comin' in too
late. You had the eye of an eagle and the roar of a lion, But you always had a
heart as big as a house.
I.O.U.
for services as a short order cook, chef, baker.....For makin' sirloin out o'
hamburger an' turkey out o' tuna fish, And two big ol' strappin' boys out of
leftovers.
I.O.U.
for cleanin' services....For the daily scrubbing of face and ears....all work
done by hand. And for the frequent dustin' of a small boy's pants
to
try to make sure he led a spotless life. And for washin' and ironin' that no
laundry could ever do. For dryin' the tears of childhood, And for ironin' out
the problems of growin' up.
I.O.U.
for services as a bodyguard.....For protectin' me from the terrors of thunderstorms
and nightmares, And too many green apples.
And
Lord knows, I.O.U. for medical attention....For nursing me through measles,
mumps, bruises, bumps, splinters and spring fever. And let's not forget medical
advice oh no....important things like, "If you keep on scratching that,
it'll never get well" or "If you cross your eyes, they're gonna stick
like that." And probably the most important advice of all,
"Be
sure you got on clean underwear boy, in case you're in an accident".
And
I.O.U. for veterinarian services....For feeding every lost dog that I dragged
home at the end of the rope, And for healing the pains of puppy love.
And
I.O.U. for entertainment.....Entertainment that kept the household goin' during
some pretty rough times.....And for wonderful productions at Christmas, the
Fourth of July, Birthdays....And for making make-believe come true.....And you
did it all on a very limited budget.
I.O.U.
for construction work.....for building kites and confidence, hopes and dreams.....And
somehow you made them all touch the sky.....
And
for cementin' together a family So it would stand the worst kind of shocks and
blows.....And for layin' down a good strong foundation to build a life on.
I.O.U.
for carrier charges.....For carryin' me on your books for the necessities of
life That a growin' boy has just gotta have. Things like, a pair of high top
boots, with a little pocket on the side for a jack-knife.
And
one thing, Mom, I'll never forget....When there were two pieces of apple pie
left and three hungry people.....I noticed that You were always the one who decided, well, I really
didn't like apple pie in the first place.
These
are just a few of the things for which payment is long overdue..
The
person that I owe 'em to worked very, very cheap....She managed by simply doin'
without a whole lot o' things that she needed herself....
My
I.O.U's add up to more than I could ever hope to repay, But you know the nicest
thing about it all is....That I know, that she had marked the entire bill 'Paid
In Full' For just one kiss and four little words....Mom, I Love You!
Thank God for Godly, Christian
Mothers!
A Christian Mother prays for a child
before the child is born. Hanna, like many other women, fervently prayed to God for
a child. "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 wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I
will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor
come upon his head." (1 Samuel 1:11) She vowed that her child would be
consecrated to the Lord from his infancy to his death. Hannah was very earnest
in her entreaty for the Lord to grant her a son. Children are often prayed for
even before their birth.
A Christian Mother is the
first to thank God for the birth of a child. At the birth of her
children Eve was thankful that she had received a child from the Lord.
"And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I
have gotten a man from the LORD." (Genesis 4:1) Eve believed that through
God's amazing blessing she was enabled to conceive and bring forth a son. The
Christian Mother recognizes that children are an inheritance from the Lord. The
psalmist wrote, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit
of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are
children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they
shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."
(Psalm 127:3-5)
A Christian Mother will
lovingly protect her child. A Godly mother loving protects her child
both physically and spiritually. Jochebed showed this amazing quality as she
lovingly hid and protected the baby Moses. "And when she could not longer
hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and
with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the
river's brink." (Exodus 2:3) Christian mothers try extremely hard to
safeguard their children.
A Christian Mother provides
teaching and spiritual guidance for her child. Solomon wrote, "My
son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy
mother." (Proverbs 1:8) This teaching is done with loving kindness.
(Proverbs 31:26) She seeks the child's good, especially spiritual good.
Timothy's mother and grandmother taught him the word of God and that is the way
it should be with every Christian Mother and her child. Paul wrote, "When
I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in
thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee
also." (2 Timothy 1:5)
A Christian Mother provides an
example of righteousness for her child. Elisabeth was a godly example
for John. "There was in the days of Herod, the king of
A Christian Mother will be
there for her child when the child has been abounded by all others. How
it must have hurt Mary but she stood by Jesus to the end. "Now there stood
by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of
Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene." (John 19:25) Mother will be there when all
other humans forsake you!
A Christian Mother stores up a
lifetime of memories of her child. A Mother has a unique way of storing
every little memory of a child in her heart. It was said of Mary, "And he
went down with them, and came to
Some of us still have our Mothers
alive and we are blessed. Those with Godly Mothers have someone praying for
them. Some have mothers that have already left this world. If those Mothers
were lost they are begging you not to come where they are. (Luke 16:19-31) If
those Mothers were saved they are begging you to not miss the joy of an
eternity with God. (Revelation 21-22) To begin your Christian life hear the
gospel (Romans
By Charles Box,