The Heart Of A Godly Mother

The Heart of a Godly Mother

Intro: [Read illustration of motherhood]

The Bible has quite a lot to say about mothers. Here are a few examples:

Eve – the mother of all living (Gen. 3:20) [Pioneer – was taught motherhood by God]

Sarah – a mother of many nations (Gen. 17:16) [From Beauty Queen to Motherhood]

Jochabed – mother of Moses (Ex. 2:8; Num. 26:59; Heb. 11:23) [Fearless & nurturing]

Deborah - Judges 5:7 - a mother in Israel. [Judge / Prophetess, Strength – willing to step out and lead when needed.]

Hannah – prayed earnestly for a son, and God blessed her w/ Samuel and other children (1 Sam. 2:19-21) [Persistent]

Widow of Zarephath – 1 Kings 17:8-24 [Trusting & Obedient]- She was willing to give the last of her food to Elijah, believing that God’s word through Elijah was true.

Mary – mother of Jesus [Gentle, virtuous, pleasing to God]

Elizabeth – mother of J.B. [Devout, Committed]

Rufus’ Mother – Paul referred to her as his own mother because she had shown a mother’s love to him (Rom. 16:13) [Tender, caring, motherly]

Timothy’s grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice 2 Timothy 1:5 - women of faith

-In light of these and many other references to moms in the Bible, I would say a mother’s heart is very important to God.

Prop: The heart of a godly mother is a reflection of the heart of God. As we focus on the heart of a Godly Mother, we can be assured that God loves us with the same love. He is the source of a mother’s love.

TS: We will be using several different Scriptures and characters to see some of the qualities that are found in a mother’s heart.

I. The Heart of a Godly Mother Is Tender (Ruth 1)

- Several different mothers in the Bible could fit this description (Mary is one that comes to mind. I think of her as gentle and kind). However, I have chosen Naomi to represent tenderness.

Naomi – a bereaved mother – lost her husband and 2 sons, yet she was still a mother to Ruth, who became King David’s great grandmother (Ruth 1)

-Naomi was a survivor. She gave even in the midst of her grief. She continued to be a mentor to Ruth after she lost her husband and sons. One of her sons had been Ruth’s husband, so she and Ruth probably helped each other through their grief. She did not let her grief turn her into a bitter woman, but was like a mother to the widow of her son. Her heart remained tender – even in the midst of personal loss and pain. With tenderness, she helped Ruth find another husband who loved her and took care of her.

Maybe you can remember times of tenderness with your own mother. Sometimes, nothing can soothe a cut finger or an owie better than the tenderness of a mother. Dads don’t always understand this, but there are times when the warmth, comfort, and tenderness of a mother is precisely what is needed. Even as adults, those who have been blessed enough to have a close relationship with their mother know how much her tenderness can mean, especially when you go through grief and pain.

God made us in such a way that we all need a little love and tenderness sometimes. God deals with us as a father deals with his children (Heb. 12), but lest you think He only sees us from a Dad’s point of view, listen to what Jesus said about wanting to be Motherly to His people - Luke 13:34 34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Unfortunately, this did not reflect well on the people to whom it was addressed, because of their rejection of God’s tender love. Nevertheless, Jesus showed the tender love that made Him want to gather His people in close to Himself, giving them warmth, closeness, and protection from a harsh world.

Romans 2:4 tells us that it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 also says He is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Psalm 145:8-9 8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”

Make no mistake. God created tenderness and one way He spread it around the world is through the heart of a mother.

TS: Now, whether or not you remember your mother’s tenderness, it is quite possible that you remember her tenacity.