Happy Mother’s Day!

A Mother’s Courageous Faith 

Sunday, May 14, 2023   

Welcome: Psalm 139: 13-16 

We gather together to worship our loving, nurturing God, who, like a mother,

knows us intimately, loves us unconditionally, teaches us the way we should go,

and comforts us in times of need. Praise God, the Source and Sustainer of life!

Praise Songs

Video for Moms

Welcome to Mother’s Day! Moms whatever season you are in, know for certain, God sees you and He celebrates you! The calling of a mother is one the greatest honors we can be given whether we physically give birth to a child, gain extra children as we unite families in marriage, adopt a child, foster a child, or just open our heart to nurture and love on others’ children in some way-mothers come in all different packages, and to be given a position of influence in the life of a child is a tremendous gift. 

And if we’re honest, loving, and raising children some days might not feel like a gift in the moment-some seasons are really hard; some are heartbreaking, some are exhausting and exasperating, but whatever the path and the journey, it is worth everything we have had to sacrifice, risk, and fight through to see them finding their purpose and joy in life, to see them smile, and of course to see them following or returning to the Lord. It’s worth it all!

We do some crazy things as moms like somehow bend time to get all things in a day-no doubt the Grace of God is upon us in moments we remember or first hear about a bake sale the next day and it’s 9 pm,  or a project they need help with, or dirty laundry appearing that has to be ready by the next morning. There are many early mornings and late nights spent by moms caring for and tending to their children and their needs. 

The truth is, we love it because we love our children with all our hearts. We would go to great lengths to protect them, heal them, and make sure they know they are loved without a shadow of a doubt. Our heart is for our children to grow to be men and women of God, who know the Lord, love the Lord, and serve the Lord with great passion and purpose-whatever that path He has called them to. This is the heart cry of a Christian mother. Every mother deeply wants their child happy and safe. Christian moms deeply want their children to know the peace and joy found only in the Lord. 

There is so much pressure on moms, and we have to remember none of that pressure is Godly. It all stems from this culture of facades and looking good in front of others. The truth is as moms we are all a hot mess-if not on the outside-we certainly feel it on the inside on some days right? 

I think we need more social connections like that- Welcome to the Jesus Loving Hot Mess Moms Club-We Absolutely do not have it together, but we have Jesus! 

One thing we need to do as moms that we own, and we are called to do, is to foster our own courageous faith in Jesus Christ. I’m talking growing a faith that beyond a shadow of a doubt, you know the Lord is there for you and your children. That no matter how dark the season is, you see the Light of Christ and you keep pressing on towards that. That no matter how much of a struggle, how painful something is you are enduring, you cling and speak the promises of God over your heart, and your family. That you make bold moves as you are guided by the Holy Spirit, in faith, to ensure your children will know the Lord and are being kept safe from the influences of this world around them, and to know that when you reach the end of your rope-your ability-you rejoice because you say I can’t do anything more but God YOU CAN! Thank You!  And this moms-is where He wants us to be from the beginning-not after we have the meltdown. 

The great news is, we have the Holy Spirit living in us as we believe in Jesus as our Savior, and HE teaches us how to grow and foster this deep and abiding faith. He teaches us the promises of God as we read His Word, and He redirects our thoughts to those promises and truths.  He washes over us with peace and gives us wisdom and strength for every situation and season we are in. 

I want to share one of the women in the Bible not mentioned all that much or likely that often beyond Sunday school. But she should be. She is a mother who showed courageous faith. I want to share her story, and let’s learn from her example of how we love, raise, and release our children with a courageous faith in our God who is mightier than all our fears and troubles, and who is for them. 

To share this story we have to look back to what was happening that led to this mother’s courageous choices. In Exodus 1 we see the wickedness and paranoia of an evil king over Egypt-the Pharaoh, and he saw how numerous Israel was growing to be-God’s favor was upon them, and he didn’t want Israel to over throw them, so he commanded his people to enslave them and become taskmasters over them. The more they afflicted Israel, the more God caused Israel to multiply and grow in number. Don’t miss that. You can’t crush or destroy the people of God! He will continue to raise up His people! So Pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill all sons born to Hebrew women. But these midwives feared God more than Pharaoh so they didn’t do it. They deceived Pharaoh and thwarted his plan. 

When that didn’t work Pharaoh commanded all his people-“every son born to a Hebrew you shall take and cast into the river.” This edict was in full effect as we pick up our story today. Imagine being pregnant and fearing bringing your baby into that culture. What kind of faith would be needed to trust your child would be protected and spared? A courageous faith in God Almighty. 

Exodus 2: 1-10 NKJV                 

 And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. 2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. 5 Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. 6 And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

• Love at All Costs.  This mom, loved her child with all her heart and went to great lengths to protect her precious son. She defied Pharaoh and his order. 

Exodus 2:2 . 2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 

Now that’s easy to read and pass on by. Parents, how easy do you think it would be to hide a baby for 3 months without anyone aware of his presence? Babies cry, a lot at times. That took some strategic planning and prayers of Grace and mercy. It took a bold faith to completely disregard Pharaoh and what he was ordering. She or her husband could have been killed for disobeying and concealing this child. 

2 Thessalonians 3:3 NASB 3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

This is what Jochebed had to hold on to in a desperate time like this. We don’t see her name here in this passage, but we see her named as Moses’ mother in  Exodus 6:20. She is listed as the mother of Aaron and Moses.

Moms do you hear this truth? We must know in our heart the Lord is faithful. We have to believe and know He will strengthen and protect our children from the evil one. We have to stand in this truth-whatever comes at our children to lure them into darkness and defeat, we proclaim this truth and promise.   Write it down if you need this encouragement today.

Because of this bold step in faith to love her son at all costs, she and her husband were listed in Hebrews 11 with all the other Faith Hall of Famers. 

Hebrews 11: 23 23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

Jochebed was not unknown to God and her courageous act to spare her one son-whom later would be used for a mighty purpose, was honored by God for all time. He sees our acts of courage. He sees when we love at all costs. He sees our bold steps of faith and He rejoices and honors us. He says, “well done good and faithful servant of Mine! Well done mom!” 

1 Corinthians 13 teaches us not only how we are to love our children, but also how the Father loves us as His children. Remember our children, are first His children.  And no matter how old we grow, we are always God’s child whom He loves. 

1 Corinthians 13: 6-7 NIV 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

When we walk with God as we raise our children, or support them as they are grown, we can rest in this truth. Love rejoices with the truth. 

• Discerning When to Release.  

Exodus 2:3 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank.

Jochebed knew she would have to let her son go, for she could not hide him safely forever. He would be found out and surely killed once they discovered him. She prayed and sought wisdom from God as to how to safely let him go so he could live, even if it meant apart from her. See moms, want the best for their children and even if it means them leaving to go somewhere away from us, our greatest desire is for them to be safe, secure, and living out their Godly purpose. 

You might read that and think Jochebed was a careless mom, putting her baby in the Nile river. But she was actually very strategic. She carefully made a basket to float on the water and set him along the reeds-so not out in the open waters, and in the exact spot at the exact time she knew Pharaoh’s daughter would come down to bathe. She also kept her older daughter nearby to watch so it wasn’t obvious a mother was watching. Everything she did was carefully thought out and timed, with God’s grace upon every detail to ensure this baby would be seen and kept safe. 

But this took courageous faith that this plan that was given to her, would actually work. Imagine being her and sending her baby in that basket-that had to take incredible faith. 

And because of her courageous act of faith and obedience to what God told her to do to spare her son, she was actually given him back for a period of time by Pharaoh’s daughter. So in discerning when to release him, God blessed her by returning him to her care so that she had time with him, but also the opportunity to impart faithful instruction about who God is and plant those seeds of truth and faith into young Moses’ heart. 

As he grew older, Jochebed had to release him again, for he was now Pharoah’s daughter’s son and he would be raised in the Egyptian culture. Worry, fear for what would come of Moses in that environment? Likely, but she stood on her faith and this promise we have in Proverbs 22. 

Proverbs 22:6 NASB Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.

Moms don’t you ever doubt how very important this is to teach and model the ways of the Lord to your children. Don’t ever doubt that those seeds you planted and watered faithfully are for nothing. This is the promise we have from God, when they grow older they will not abandon it. 

When Moses grew to be a man, he remembered where he came from. He remembered who His God was and He chose to let go of all the luxuries and lies of the world he was living in, to walk in the truth and favor of God. This never would have happened without the faithful courage of Jochebed, his mother. 

• Trusting God to do What She Cannot. 

Jochebed could prepare the basket, watch for the right time, and place her baby in the right area, but once she let go, there was nothing more she could do but pray that God would step in and do what she could not. And He did because He is faithful.

Exodus 2:6 6 And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”

The Holy Spirit caused this woman to have compassion for this Hebrew baby. She could have easily ordered to have him drowned-that was her father’s order, but the Spirit moved and she felt love for this child. 

Exodus 2: 9-10 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

God blessed this Hebrew mom abundantly in ways she could never make happen on her own. Left to her own ability, she would have lost her son no doubt at some point. But placing him in the loving hands of God, he lived and was called to carry out an incredible purpose for the Kingdom of God! 

Moms whatever season your children are in, let us stand in hope, and let us persevere in faithfulness to our God. We must nurture our own relationship with God, we must allow the Holy Spirit to grow our faith in Him, and we must trust the ways of God and that He is faithful to finish the good work He has started in every child. 

Philippians 1:6 NLT 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. 

Conclusion:  Mothers it is a great responsibility to raise up a child to know and love God with all their heart. To do this requires fostering your own courageous and abiding faith. 

Take courage because we have the greatest teacher in the Holy Spirit, the greatest model in Christ, and the greatest support in our Heavenly Father. Let us follow Jochebed’s example to love, release, and trust our children to the God who loves them beyond our comprehension. 

Prayer of blessing over all our moms:

Dear Lord, Bless every mother and every grandmother with the finest of your spiritual blessings today. Confirm in her heart and spirit the work of her hands and the love that she has so freely given to those children under Your care. Validate her worth daily, so she has no reason to doubt whether she is loved, valued, and cherished in the eyes of her Heavenly Father.

Create in her a deep sense of your protection and trust, so that worry and fear will disappear as she places her loved ones into Your care. Let her know that every prayer she has prayed and every encouraging word she has spoken on behalf of her children/grandchildren has been transformed into sweet, fragrant offerings before Your throne.

Help her to rest daily in the promises of Your Word, standing with faith on the things You declare are true. Let her know that You reward faithfulness, but that true success doesn’t lie in her accomplishments or accolades. Let her rest in the knowledge that she has done all she can—and that she and those she loves—truly belong to you. Bless her with a servant spirit so she can teach her own the joy of hearing one day, “Well done!”

Father God, continue to mold us into the moms you already know we are. Thank You for creating us just as we are, precious in your sight. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Offering: 

Please be making the transition from Pushpay to Tithe.ly if you have a recurring giving setup.  

 

As we bring our worship service to a close we have a special video of our youngest children sharing blessings for their moms and then they will hand out some gifts to celebrate all you moms here today! 

Final Blessing: Numbers 6: 24-26 “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”