I love Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was so young, yet her heart was so open and trusting to the Lord. As I was thinking of mothers, she was the first one to come to my mind. You know the story, yet remember that she was a teenage woman in biblical times being told the Holy Spirit would come upon her and impregnate her with the Son of God. She wasn’t married yet, but with courage in her heart, she said, “Okay, Lord, let’s do this.”
When my sons got married, I tried to be a good mother-in-law. I had been through many hard times, some being my own bad choices, and had found that Jesus was always, always my Answer. I thought of Titus 2:3-5:
Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored.
I wanted to teach my daughters-in-law what I had learned, and though my heart was right, I neglected to wait on Holy Spirit, for timing and the words. I went in like a pharisaical steamroller. To my sorrow, I didn’t realize that I had turned them away from the Lord, instead of to Him, until it was too late and they didn’t want me around them or their families. We were estranged for many years. I take total responsibility for it.
The next mother to come to my mind was Bathsheba. She was minding her own business, taking a bath when King David decided he wanted her. He took her, got her pregnant, tried to cover up by bringing her husband, Uriah home to sleep with her so he would think the baby was his. David wasn’t counting on Uriah being an honorable man, and he wouldn’t go home while his men were in battle. David had Uriah placed on the front lines and he was killed in battle. David then took Bathsheba as a wife. Their child was born and died. Their next child, conceived in wedlock, was Solomon, and the Scriptures say that LORD JEHOVAH loved the boy. This woman also had a heart full of courage. She had the gumption to rise above the past and turn it for the good.
Scholars agree that it was Bathsheba that taught her son Solomon how to be a man of honor, and taught him how a king should conduct himself. She reminded King David when he was on his deathbed, that he had sworn before LORD JEHOVAH that Solomon would reign in his place. David honored that reminder, and when Solomon became king, he honored his mother by setting a throne next to him on his right for her. This was a position of honor and influence.(1 Kings 2:19)
Bathsheba used past sorrows and experiences to teach her son. Titus 2:6 says, “Likewise urge the young men to be sensible.” Bathsheba was the Proverbs 31 woman, which, scholars agree, was written by Solomon about his mother.
During the time I wasn’t able to see my sons and their families, the Lord heard the cry of my heart , that I was missing my sons and daughters, and He sent me many spiritual sons and daughters! Perhaps I didn’t carry all of my children in my body, but I carry them all in my heart, and they are amazing human beings! I’m a blessed woman, mother of many. My heart is full and I can say along with Mary:
“Because He who is mighty has done unto me great things and holy is His name.”
He has restored me to Him, to my husband, and to my natural children and families, and He has blessed me more than I could ever imagine with many sons and daughters.
I love the scripture from Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Allow the Lord to love people through you! Be a mother, a father, a sister or brother, son or daughter. Let’s agree with Mary, “Lord, let’s do this!” Hallelujah amen.