The High Calling of Motherhood

   Ladies, have you ever been discouraged . . . or felt like what you are doing is of no importance? We clean the house, only to have it dirty again in no time flat. We change diapers, only to have it to do over again in just a short while. Laundry seems as if it should be called "Mount Never Rest"! Does anyone even see or care what we do?

 Let me give you some good news! You are doing just what God has called you to do! The Call to Motherhood is the highest calling God gives! You matter to Him, and He cares about every detail of your life. He is the one Who chose you for this favored position of Mom! He will strengthen you and equip you to do the job He has assigned!

   Before I had children, I taught school and loved every minute of it. Because I had no children, I had plenty of time and lots of extra love to give to my students. I poured myself into my sixth graders with all that I had. I prayed with them. I cried with them when vacations came! When the school year came to an end, we grieved that we would be apart. BUT, when I took that pregnancy test to the doctor's office in 1984, and it turned out to be positive. . .my priorities changed completely!! I began to pour myself into the precious little one I was carrying. My husband and I read to her, sang to her, quoted Scripture to her, and prayed with her. I just could not believe that after 7 years, God had chosen me for this blessed task! And I came to an important realization: ANYONE could teach my classes at school, but no one else could be a mother to MY child!!  Let's look, then, at what I call the High Calling of Motherhood.

1-   Our Mission

"He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord." Psalm 113:9

Let's remember. . .this mission was assigned to us by God Himself! It is He that opens and closes the womb. It is He that knows our paths, and He knows the end from the beginning. There is no higher calling! We must focus on what God's Word says, and not the world's opinions. The world would have us to believe that motherhood is a menial task, unimportant and lowly. They would have us to believe that a woman's fulfillment comes from a career, a prestigious job, or a high salary. After all, who wants to "slave" at home in insignificance when you could receive attention and acclaim at the office? What does God's Word have to say about this?

"That they may teach young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the Word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2:4-5

This Scripture seems pretty clear to me! God's plan for women is to be keepers at home, obedient wives, and loving mothers! How many women do you see today who are searching for fulfillment in their career, job or riches? Is it working? Are marriages getting stronger? Are children growing up to be obedient, productive citizens? NO! The divorce rate grows and the juvenile delinquency increases with every passing year. Families are falling apart at an alarming rate, and Christians don't seem to be faring any better than the lost. Has it ever occurred to women that fulfillment will only come from getting under our God given authorities and assuming the Scriptural roles which our Loving, Heavenly Father designed for us? Search His Word and I think you'll find that to be the truth. Ladies, don't fall prey to the devil's lies. God's ways are always best!! Remember, there are seasons of life designed by God. You may be in the season where you feel like all you do is change diapers and  feed, discipline, and train little ones! That's okay! That's God's plan! There will be a time when your children are older when God may open up avenues of ministry outside your home, but for now, remember. . .anyone can hold down that secular job, but only YOU can be a godly mother to your children! It's amazing to me that some parents look for a nanny who will do all the things that the mother is not willing to do! She would rather go out and work and pay someone to do her job. I hate to say it, but it's not going to happen!

2-   Our Methods

There are many methods and philosophies of child rearing. Book stores are full of books that promise to teach you all you'll ever need to know about parenting! But there is one Book that is infallible, and not only that but it is inspired by God! It is the Bible. It is our book of wisdom. In it are the principles and precepts that will lay the foundation for a Godly generation of children. Let us, then, saturate our homes with the Word of God! Begin and end your day with the Word.

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."      Deuteronomy 6:6-7

      That just about covers it all, doesn't it? Teach your children the Word of God morning, evening, sitting at home, and walking by the way! Put up Scripture plaques and pictures that will point their thoughts to the Lord. We have used Scriptural themes as we decorated our children's rooms: Noah's Ark, Lighthouses (Let your light so shine...Matt 5:16), Eagles (They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles...Isaiah 40:31). Memorize Scripture together as a family. There is nothing that will improve family harmony like quoting Scripture together. With young children, we used hand motions that helped them to remember the passage more easily. Make it fun! Use Scripture to aid in family harmony. We taught our children what we called the "Harmony Scripture" as soon as they could talk!

"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that              ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:8-9

  Nothing will diffuse a sibling conflict like looking one another in the eye and quoting the "harmony Scripture" together!! Our children need to be so familiar with God's Word that their spirits can discern evil situations and people. There is nothing wrong with protecting our children from evil. Romans 16:19 tells us to be "wise unto that which is good, and SIMPLE CONCERNING EVIL." Our home should be like a loving greenhouse in which our children can grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Word of God. Only then will they be ready to impact the world for Christ!

3-   Our Motivation

One of my favorite verses in the Word of God is found in 3 John 1:4,

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in Truth."

Now, I realize that John was writing to the church, but I believe that we can appropriate this verse to apply to our birth children as well! THIS is our motivation, ladies!! Our goal is for our children to come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as early as possible so that they will have their whole lives to live for Him. It is our goal that our children would dedicate their lives to His service, to have a servant's heart, and to seek Him with their whole hearts. It is our prayer that they will truly be "mighty in Spirit and strong in the Lord"! It is our desire that they will sense the calling of God on their lives and follow that call, winning many to Him and making disciples as the Scripture instructs. Is this possible in our day? Not in our own strength!! Only in the strength of the Lord God Almighty!! Will you join me in this noble calling? It is the high calling of motherhood!

"I will go in the strength of the Lord God:
I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only."

Psalm 71:16