MOTHERS ARE one of God’s primary tools in His plan for world change and transformation. Everyone of us have had a mother and so everything that we are, every success, and every challenge we experience, really is also our mother’s story. A mother has the opportunity to plant seeds of faith in her child/children that God can use to lead them into a life of daily walking with and serving Him.
Mothers don’t always get it right, but notwithstanding the individual ratings we give, most mothers strive to be good moms. They put much effort into giving their children the best opportunity to thrive and succeed regardless of their children’s age or their own. Mothers feel joy when their children are doing well, and sadness when they’re not. The question many are asking is, how can mothers/parents navigate life in the face of our current challenges?
The mother of Moses, Jochebed, is a good example for today’s mother. Jochebed was a woman who had a relationship with God as her Lord and King. Moses was born at a time when Pharaoh had ordered that all the Israelite baby boys be killed; however,when she gave birth to him, she decided to protect him. “She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months.” Exodus 2:2 (NIV).
The scriptures says when she couldn’t hide Moses any more, she made a special basket, placed him in it, and hid him in the reeds on the banks of the Nile River; his sister watched. Moses was rescued by the Pharaoh’s daughter, but unable to nurse him, she enquired of the sister (Miriam) for a nurse, and was directed to Jochebed who was hired to do the job. After Moses was weaned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and raised him in the palace surrounded by all the luxuries of Egypt.
Jochebed had a vision or purpose for her child. She must have heard from God that he was no ordinary child; he was set for greatness. She was so convinced, that she placed her life at risk, showing exceptional courage, wisdom, and ‘stick-to-itiveness’. Mothers must first seek God’s vision for their child/children and then be deliberate and strategic in their approach. They must have unrelenting commitment and be willing to put in the effort required for their children to achieve success.
Like Jochebed, mothers must be courageous and walk in obedience to God. They must stand in boldness because there are some things that will require mothers going up stream against cultural norms and practices. That won’t be easy and will require a shift in the way they operate. The narrative of the world is vastly removed from the ways of God. Mothers therefore need the tremendous courage it takes to yield to and trust God and not be afraid of the opinions of man.
Like Jochebed, mothers need to be prepared to do difficult, even strange things, and go where God directs them as He works out the issues in and through them. Satan has a way of creating altars of fear and terror in and through the very thing/s that should bring our purpose. Like Jochebed, mothers need to see and know them, but counter them by building altars of praise and obedience to God. Mothers must defy the enemy and purpose in their hearts to be people of faith. They must purpose in their hearts to never stop going and never give in, because God is their champion, and He will give them victory as He did for Jochebed and countless others.