Mother's Day

 

Today is the day that is set aside annually to honor  our mothers and motherhood. The holiday is celebrated on various days in many countries around the world, most commonly in the month of May. However, some of the celebrations are in the month of March, also. It's a day to honor the outstanding mothers of the world and can draw it's origin from first the Greeks who set aside a day to honor "Cybele," whom they portrayed as the mother of Greek gods. Also, the ancient Romans celebrated a similar holiday that was dedicated to "Juno," their own goddess. And, centuries ago, the Catholic Church set aside a day to honor the virgin Mary, and added their own version and traditions to the holiday. Our American Mother's Day can trace it's "roots" to Julia Ward Howe, who called for the U.S. government to honor the contributions of women in this country. Howe, an avid feminist had written her "Mother's Day Proclamation," in 1870 and by 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the "second Sunday in May" and "Mother's Day" and created the Mother's Day International Association.

President Woodrow Wilson created the legislation that comprised the law, making Mother's Day a national holiday.

Many societies around the world celebrate the holiday as a religious celebration, tying it to Jesus' delivery to the Temple and eventual crucifixion. Denoting the suffering of his mother, Mary, during his death on the cross.

So, as you see Mother's Day has all kinds of meanings around the world.

However, I think we can best describe the attributes of a good mother by going to a familiar passage to us all - Proverbs 31:10-31

 "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

    The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

    She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

    She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

    She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

    She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

    She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

    She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms,

    She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

    She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

    She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

    She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

    She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

    Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

    She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

    Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

    She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

    She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

    Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

    Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

    Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

    Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her own works praise her in the gates."

These are the words of King Lemuel, and were the prophecy that his mother had taught him. She was a wise woman and imparted her wisdom to her son.

 

 

 

Let's look at some other mothers of the Bible:

 

1. Eunice and Lois   (Acts 16:1 and 2 Timothy 1:1-5)

     Eunice Timothy's mother taught him the word of God and instilled it in him.

     His grandmother (most think maternal grandmother) also was active in his teaching and training.

     His father was a Greek and didn't believe, but this did not prevent his mother and grandmother from having a marked impact on his Christian teaching.

 

2. Sarah - wife of Abram, later  called Abraham.

   She was barren until the age of ninety years of age. She attempted to take God's promise into her own hands by giving her handmaiden, Hagar, to Abraham to beget him a son,

   Ishmael.

   At age ninety, after Sarah laughed at God, she conceived and bore Isaac, when Abraham was 100 years old.

   Sarah became the mother of the Jewish nation, died at age 127 and became a virtuous woman, as a symbol of persevering faith and trust in the Lord God and his promises.

 

3. Rebekah - the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, Abraham's brother.

   She became Isaac's wife and was the sister of Laban.

   She bore Isacc twin sons, Jacob and Esau. She favored the second son, Jacob, and aided him in deceiving his father for the birthright.

   By doing so, she changed the course of history, as the blessing was given to Jacob, instead of Esau, and the Jewish nation proceeded through Jacob's line.

   Rebekah encouraged her favorite son, Jacob to leave, and died before he returned and reconciled with Esau.

  She was buried in the cave in the field at Machpelah, the same place that Abraham and Sarah were buried.

 

4. Lot's Wife - (Genesis 19)

    We do not know her name, but she was probably from Sodom or Gomorrah, where Lot had settled after parting from Abraham.

     She bore lot at least two daughters and an angel of the Lord appeared to Lot and her and told them to flee the city of corruption.

     She was told to not look back, but because of family and other ties to the city, she looked back and God turned her into a pillar of salt.

    She is an example of a mother that didn't trust God and his plan.

 

5.  Rachel - was the beloved wife of Jacob. He worked a total of 14 years for her father Laban, before she was his.

     The "fairest" and most beautiful of Laban's daughters. Jacob was "tricked" by her father into marrying her sister, Leah, but loved Rachel so much that he worked an
     additional seven years for her hand in marriage.

     Rachel stood by and pined to give Jacob sons, while she watched her sister Leah bear him sons. She gave him her handmaiden, Bilhah, to bear sons, when she wasn't able to
     bear children. She eventually was fruitful and bore Jacob his two favorite sons, Joseph and Benjamin. However, Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin and Jacob grieved

     forever for his beloved wife.

     It was her son, Joseph, that was sold into Egyptian slavery, but survived to be come a great ruler and saved the children of Israel from starvation during a great famine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Rahab - a harlot in the city of Jericho (Joshua 2: 1-21)

    Rahab lent her home to conceal the spies sent by Joshua and bargained with them for the lives of her family.

    She was rescued with her family when the Israelites captured Jericho.

    She became the wife of Salmon and bore him a son, Boaz, who became the ancestor of Jesus, through the House of King David.

 

7. Naomi - the wife of Elimelech from Bethlehem of Judah (Ruth 1: 1-22)

    She bore Elimelech two sons, Mahlon and Chlion, who married Orpah and Ruth.

    Her husband had died and eventually both of her sons died too.

    She is the example of a woman whose virtues found favor with her daughter-in-law, Ruth.

    Ruth took care of Naomi and went to the fields to gleen wheat after the harvest.

    Ruth, a widow, married Boaz, and bore him a son, Obed, who was considered a grandson of Elimelech and Naomi.

 

8. Hannah (1 Samuel 1:2-28)

    She was the favored one of the two wives of Elkanah of Ephraim.

    She was taunted for her barreness by Peninnah, the other wife, who had children.

    In her misery, she trusted in God and prayed to him for a son.

    She promised God that if he would give her a son, she would give him to the Lord's service, for all of his life.

    She bore a son, Samuel, who was brought to the Temple when he was weaned and given to Eli, to serve God.

    She brought him a new tunic each year to the temple.

    Because of her devout faith in God, she bore three more sons and two daughters.

 

9.  Elizabeth - was a descendent of Aaron and cousin of Mary, wife of Zechariah. (Luke 1:5-25, 39-80)

     Her husband was a member of the priesthood.

     She was pleasing to God, but barren and very old.

     Then, the Lord intervened and she became pregnant.

      Her son, John the Baptist, was the fore-runner of Christ.

      Her husband, Zechariah, was "dumbstruck" but when he fulfilled the prophesy, regained his speech.

      Her son, went about preaching Jesus.

 

10. Mary - mother of Jesus. (Matt. 1: 16, 18-25)

      Was the daughter of Anna and Joachim.

     She was living in Nazareth, unmarried and betrothed to Joseph.

     The angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her she would bear a son.

      She was a virgin and became pregnant by the Holy Ghost.

      She fulfilled the prophesy of the Messiah and brought him up in the nurture of the Lord.

      She risked her life to bear the child in a manger and kept him hidden from King Herrod.

      She was present at Christ's crucifixion.

Other mothers you might want to consider would be Eve, the mother of the human race; Jochebed, mother of Aaron, Miriam, and Moses; and Job's wife, just to name a few.

 

The important thing that we can garner from all of these women is the fact that none of them were perfect. They all sinned and many had times of doubt and even struggled with God's intervention in their lives. However, all trusted God and were delivered according to his plans, being rewarded when their trust was placed in him.

 

 

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