A Godly Mother’s Dream
There are some great portraits of motherhood in Scripture.
I love the picture of the mother of Moses who cared so much for her son that she broke the law in order to teach him the faith of his people.
We see the sacrificial love of the mother who appeared before King Solomon and told him that she was willing to have her son taken away by another woman rather than see any harm come to him.
Or, the mother of James and John who loved her boys so much that she wanted them to sit by the Lord’s side in the heavenly kingdom.
And, the mother of King Lemuel, who gave some advice to her son about godly living and how to pick a good wife, in Proverbs 31.
-Moms and dreams… What do mothers dream about? So often Moms don’t seem to have a chance to dream b/c there are so many demands placed on them, taking care of babies, kids, a husband, managing their household, buying groceries, clothes, and other needed items for the family. In many cases they also pay the bills, balance the checkbook, help kids with homework, provide encouragement and support as their kids face challenges in school, sports, friendships, and so on. Moms spend hours doing laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, entertaining, and so much more! And on top of that, many Moms work outside jobs, some fulltime, some part time. What’s more, millions of Moms do most of this alone (some of them are single moms; others are helping their husbands grow up in addition to their kids). The dreams of some Moms get crushed from the disappointment of not being able to have kids, suffering miscarriages, or even losing a child some other time in life. For some, their hearts break over wayward children who seem to have no interest in spiritual matters. Thank you Moms for keeping the faith during these heart-wrenching times and not giving up!
-So, moms may not have much time to sit around and dream while they are being mommies, but I believe that most moms begin to dream dreams about what they want to see in their lives and in their kids and how they want them to develop as they grow up. And where do you think those dreams come from? I believe many of them come from the heart of God! Even Moms who don’t know Jesus yet, still often dream that their children would grow up to be Godly people with a future and a hope!
Many moms do not spend their dreams on themselves, but on their kids. Moms are givers like that! They want their kids to do well, to excel, to be happy, healthy, and safe. Mary knew that her boy Jesus was something special, but her dreams for a safe, worry-free life for Him were not fulfilled. And yet her Son, accomplished the greatest thing that has ever been done anywhere! He provided the opportunity for an unending life of freedom for every person on this planet! Mary’s dreams for Jesus were wonderful, I’m sure, but God’s dream for this world was much bigger! Nevertheless, Mary experienced the joys and the heartaches of motherhood, as she raised Jesus and her other children.
What would be a Godly mother’s dream for her family / kids?
1. That God’s will be done in their lives (surrender)
[Hannah- Samuel] Hannah gave Samuel back to God to serve Him in the priesthood.
-Is it possible that Jesus had heard His mother Mary pray the same way He prayed in the Garden? (Not My will, but Your will be done.) When the angel told Mary the amazing news that she was going to have a baby who was not fathered by her fiancé Joseph, she said, "May it be to me as you have said." Luke 1:38
2. That they would know and love the Lord (faith/relationship)
2 Timothy 1:5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
-These ladies had a big part in Timothy’s faith! They didn’t just wish for it. They lived it out and taught Timothy to do the same! The provided spiritual leadership for Timothy. I am thankful for parents who want their kids to go to Sunday School and church. But how much more effective when a parent actually leads the way and lives the life of a Christ follower! The difference is night and day! Faith isn’t just taught, it is caught! When Moms have contagious faith, there’s a pretty good chance their kids will grow up to be people of faith. It is not automatic but I guarantee you that the stats would bear this out! And the percentage of kids who follow Jesus goes way up when the Dad is man enough to follow Jesus – but that is a sermon for another day.
2 Timothy 3:14-15 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
-From infancy Timothy was learning God’s word! Parents, let’s get this right! Let’s invest in what lasts forever when it comes to our kids! Yes, I want my kids to become good citizens and respect others, and earn a good living, and mind their manners, and all that! But most of all, I want kids who love Jesus and who will be with me in heaven! And that, I believe, is the dream of a godly mother, as well.
3. That they would be people of integrity (honesty/character)
-This is very much related to the previous point.
-Four scholars were arguing over Bible translations. One said he preferred the King James Version because of its beauty and eloquent old English. Another said he liked the New American Standard Version for its literalism and how it moves the reader from passage to passage with confident feelings of accuracy from the original text. The third scholar was sold on the New Living Translation for its use of contemporary phrases and idioms that capture the meaning of difficult ideas. After being quiet for a moment, the fourth scholar admitted: “I have personally preferred my mother’s translation.” When the other scholars started laughing, he said, “Yes, she translated the Scriptures. My mom translated each page of the Bible into life. It is the most convincing translation I have ever read.”
-Things like popularity, social status, the right brands of clothing, success in life, and so on are only temporary. They have no lasting value. But when a child learns to guard his heart b/c he/she has already given it to God, they have been given a treasure that will last forever!
4. That they would learn from their failures (resilience/wisdom)
-We all have shortcomings and weaknesses and we’ve all sinned. But we must not allow the enemy or anyone else define us by our weakest moments.
-Look how weak some of the heroes of the Bible were:
NOAH- was a drunk.
ABRAHAM- was too old.
ISAAC- was a daydreamer.
JACOB- was a liar.
LEAH- was ugly.
JOSEPH- was abused.
MOSES- had a stuttering problem.
GIDEON- was afraid.
SAMSON- had long hair and was a womanizer!
RAHAB- was a prostitute!
JEREMIAH- and TIMOTHY were too young.
DAVID- was an adulterer and a murderer.
ELIJAH- was suicidal.
JONAH- ran from God.
NAOMI- was a widow.
JOB- went bankrupt (lost his health, wealth, and kids)
JOHN- the Baptist dressed funny and ate bugs.
PETER- denied Christ.
THE DISCIPLES- fell asleep while praying.
MARTHA- worried about everything.
MARY MAGDALENE- was looking for love in all the wrong places
THE SAMARITAN WOMAN- was divorced 5 times
ZACCHEUS- was too small.
PAUL- was too religious.
TIMOTHY- had an ulcer ... AND
LAZARUS WAS DEAD!
-I believe that a Godly Mom not only wants to see her kids learn from their mistakes, but she wants them to recover from their mistakes! That is the heart of God for you! He takes imperfect, improbable people like you and me and shapes us into something He can work with. A Godly Mom also recognizes this and dreams that her children will learn to trust God with their failures and allow Him to do something great through them.
5. That they would live beyond themselves (unselfish, caring)
Philippians 2:3-4 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
6. That they would pass their faith on (faithful, fruitful)
2 Timothy 2:2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
-Paul was referring to the church here, but the same applies in families. We need faithful men and women who will pass the truth of God’s word on to others. That is the dream of a Godly mom. It doesn’t mean everyone has to be a preacher. God wired us all differently. However, we all have a part in passing our faith on to our kids, grandkids, and many others. Live it and speak it!
Close: So, a Godly Mother’s dream for her kids would be all about the things that will last more than a lifetime, but an eternity!
• May God’s will be done in their lives!
• May her children know and love the Lord!
• May they be people of integrity & honor
• May they learn from their failures & not be defined by them
• May they live beyond themselves
• May they pass the faith on to others
-It’s not a stretch at all to realize that these are God’s plans for you as well! How’s it going? Are you doing life with God? Are you living in obedience to His word? How is your integrity? Are you learning from your failures and trusting God to help you through them? Are you living beyond yourself? Are you passing your faith on to others?
-God offers His help in each of these areas and wants to helps us thrive in our lives! See, the heart of a Godly mom is a reflection of the God she serves! And the plans that He has for us are good plans, to prosper us, not harm us, to give us a future and a hope.
-What are your dreams? Don’t settle for lower level dreams that focus on temporary success and financial gain. No lasting happiness there! Dream big! Love God! Love your family! And love the Moms in your life! They really do want what is best for you – even if they don’t always know what that is.
-Let’s pray that God would help us be people who follow Him, do what’s right, and pass it on to others!
