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 20:12 we read, "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you." In the New Testament we read, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3) Mother's Day is one befitting way to give honor to our Mothers.

 

            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 Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." (Luke 1:5) A Mother that walks in God's commandments is of great price. 

 

            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 Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart." (Luke 2:51) Build good memories of you child walking close to God.

 

            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 10:17), believe in Jesus (John 8:24), repent of your sins (Luke 13:3), confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10) and be baptized into Christ. "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:26-27) After being washed in the blood of Jesus at baptism keep yourself among the faithful. If you have a Christian Mother you are truly blessed because you also have a loving heavenly Father!

 

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551, Greenville, Alabama 36036 USA