Mothers Make A Difference
Exodus 2:1-10
Here today, we are either a mother, or have a mother or had a mother.
Mother’s Day messages have to be approached with love and sensitivity, so that the right balance can be achieved. Within a congregation, people can be on many different journeys. With those journeys can be pain, sorrow, sadness and regret, along with great joy and happiness and fulfillment. So, today everything said will be with love and sensitivity with the aim to encourage and lift up mums and women of our church.
So, did your mum influence you (for good or bad); did she make a difference? In most cases, we would have been influenced more than we know: how we talk, how we walk, our attitudes, even down to what we eat. I see some things my wife does which her mum does. Did your mum guide you in the ways of the Lord???
Being a mum can be a tough gig. It’s not all pedicures and eating out, is it? It can be more about going to work, looking after the house and listening to complaining kids and sooky husbands. The Bible has a heap of examples of mums who had some rough times, and were influencers for good and bad.
Eve lost a son to murder.
Sarah/Hannah had trouble conceiving.
Mary saw her son crucified.
But let’s look at Jochebed from our reading today. She was the mother of Moses. She gave birth to Moses at the height of Jewish slavery, when all male babies were to be killed. Yet her faith stands tall as a model to all women. (Hebrews 11:23)
His mum, by faith hid him, sent him off in a basket and trusted God.
Q. Do we, as parents, have faith like this? These were big risks. Like Moses in the basket, I worried when my kid drove off in the car for the first time by themselves. There will be times when you, as the mum, will not be around when things happen. That is when faith, trust and prayer to our heavenly Father will be your only refuge.
We know the story that Moses’ mum, by God’s grace and mercy, was chosen as the nurse/to raise him in the young years. Now purely speculative, don’t you think his mum would have been teaching and nurturing him in the ways of God and speaking about her faith and his miraculous deliverance? You would have done the same. Moses went on to be used by God mightily to free his people.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
The point: You have the opportunity to impart your faith in God, the blessing you have received, the hard times and the sad times to others, which may just impact generations. Faithfull women are needed, are critical, for our nation to turn back to our Heavenly Father. Be an influencer with your faith. Example Edward Kimble
Who can we influence…..everyone!
Children, husband, family, grandchildren, in the church and in the community. (Proverbs 31:26)
Not a mother? No worries. Be the Godly or spiritual mentor/sister/aunty/grandchild/ grandmother to someone in our church, in your family. There is so much need for spirit-led women to help/nurture/guide others. My example.
Conclusion
Mothers Day…… I pray it was a good day for you. God, through his word the Bible, honours Godly mums and women, and so should we. Please remember through good times and the bad, your loving/merciful/gracious Heavenly Father loves you and sees all things. He has a plan for you, and it is your own very unique plan.
On behalf of the Elders and the church:
To all women who have experienced broken relationships with mothers or your children and to those who have had great loss: WE MOURN FOR YOU;
To those who walk the hard path of infertility: WE WALK WITH YOU;
To those who are foster mums, mentors, spiritual mums/grandmothers/sisters: WE NEED YOU;
And to all women serving and loving our God: WE THANK YOU.
Let’s Pray……