Monday, July 25, 2011

What makes mothers so special

As established in my last post, it is important as mothers, not just to say we pray for our children, but to know how to correctly pray for them.  I advocated that we 1. Pray continuously, and offensively. That is praying before something happens and not just when something happens. 2. That we see our children in the light of who they really are according to the word of God and whose they are which will make a big difference in our prayers. 

Today I want to divert our attention to Mothers. First of all I want us to think of the word mother as more of a functional word rather than a mere title. As I look through the scriptures I have come to realize how very special mothers are to God. To fully illustrate this let us look at Isaiah 66:13.
The King James Version reads “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."
Israel had fallen into apostasy, and Isaiah prophesied about their captivity and also about their redemption and restoration. In chapters 58-66:24, Isaiah talks of Israel finding comfort in their future glory.  For them to fully understand the depth of this comfort he likens it that the comfort that a mother gives to her child. This is so awesome to know that God thinks so highly of the capability of a mother to comfort her children. The word mother is translated as bond like “the bond in the family” The word comforted is translated as “to console or to pity”

Mothers we are the bond that keeps our family intact. We also have the ability to console our family in whatever situation that they may find themselves. You are able to do something that God holds as a standard for Israel when they needed to get the depth of God’s love and concern for them.
Let us look also at Isaiah 49:15
It reads: Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
 Woman: female
Sucking child here means a babe/baby.
Compassion: to love, (to find, have, obtain, or show) mercy, to have pity
Womb: the belly, also the bosom or body of anything

On the other hand God is saying can a female forget about her baby and not show love, mercy and pity to someone that came from her belly? As hard as this is to happen, there is a possibility that they may but I will not forget you Israel. Again God hold up a standard of love but he also shows that as high as a mother’s standard of love and compassion is, His love and compassion is greater.
Are you starting to see how highly God things about mothers?   Here is another verse that I want to share with you:

John 19:26-27
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Jesus thought so highly of his own mother that even at the time of his death He forgot about what He was going through to focus on his mother and his disciple John.  I believe that Jesus knowing the capacity of love, compassion and care that he had experienced from his mother, wanted this to extend to his beloved disciple John as well as making John aware of the need to be to her the son that He Jesus was to her.
Let us look at other aspects of a Mother.

I believe most of us have heard of the proverbs 31 woman, a mother, wife and friend. I would like for us to look at verse 15
Proverbs 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. (KJV)

So many times you feel like pulling the covers up and going back to sleep, but this is how special you are. You delay going to sleep or you resist the temptation to stay in bed and you get up trying to get a jumpstart on the day, packing lunches, doing the wash, cleaning, paying bills or praying. Can you relate?
Let us look also at:

 Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
It would appear that this verse is excluding the mother from feeling happy about her wise son or that the father is not concerned about his son who may act foolish. However I do believe that both parents are affected.   I also believe that the heaviness that it brings to the mother is showing the depth of emotion that she is capable of feeling as in herself she is the one who was responsible for the nurturing of the children. She is the foundation institution and teacher of her children.

Mothers have a unique connection with their children. This unique connection started at conception and as much as fathers can love and care, that period of time being housed or nestled in the womb gives mother a nine month advantage to start the bonding process. Who then is better able to pray for our children than we do?

I am a mother of two grown children, and I can think of so many instances when I may be talking with them on the phone and can tell that something is wrong. My husband has learned to just agree with me now, because he realizes that I have been correct 99% of the time.

So Let us pray: Father I thank you for how much I mean to you and the trust that you have in me to care for this child (or children) you entrusted to me.  Please help me to function in the role as a mother and not just wear the name as a title. I thank you for the capacity of love and mercy that I have within me to love and forgive the things that they may have done that may have caused me hurt,  and at the same time I thank you for the ability to come to their aid when they need consolation and pity. Thank you for the strength to get up at odd times to make the necessary provision for them. Help me to teach them with such diligence that their success will bring gladness to my heart. But if at any time they become foolish by not adhering to what they have taught, help me to know that they will eventually return to it. In Jesus name Amen.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Theme Verses for Prayers of a Mother

Most Christian mothers I am sure will readily say, "oh yes, I do pray for my children every day so this is nothing new". However here's what is new- it really is not just "what" we pray, but really "how" we pray and really "why" we pray.
It is essential to really grasp a sense of the awesome responsibility that God has entrusted to us mothers to raise His Children in such a way to propel them into their destiny. We need to remember that these children do not really belong to us they are God's children (not His grandchildren), and He loves them just as He does all His children. He also has a plan for their lives above your plans. It is good to have aspirations for our children, and as mothers we feel great when they do well in school, with career choices, with their choice of friends or their spouse. However, somewhere in the mix God their father also has a plan for their lives - our heavenly Father more that anything wants to see His children succeed.
Jeremiah 11:29 says this much better than I can.
Here's how the King James puts it:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end (KJV).
Now let's look at how the New International Version of the Bible puts it:
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)

I believe that Our Children are a blessing/gift from God and we will need to give an account of how we use, abuse, or misuse this gift. The following are some scriptures that confirms this believe.

 3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.  4 like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.  5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate. (Psalm 127:3-5 NIV)

5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. "Who are these with you?" he asked.  Jacob answered, "They are the children God has graciously given your servant." (Gen. 33:5 NIV)

Romans 14: 12: So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Let us look more closely at Psalm 127:3-5.
In the King James Version (KJV) this scripture reads 3. Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5. Happy is the man that hat his quiver full of them, they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

What does  it mean that Children are an heritage of the Lord  The word heritage means to inherit, inheritance, possession. Therefore lets us see our children as an inheritance that God has given to us.
Some people see their inheritance as something that comes easy and hence they tend to squander it, and before long it is all gone and you are left with nothing, (like the prodigal son (Luke 15) some invest it wisely so that it will continue to yield more and last longer. Then there are those who complain about their inheritance that it is too small an inheritance and see it as having little or no value.  How does this apply to our children - If you allow your children just to do whatever they want to do and you do not take the time to nurture and teach them then you are squandering your inheritance. If you call them names that discredit or fosters low self esteem then you are squandering your inheritance. When we start to compare our children with other children, and wish that ther skin was lighter or darker, that there noses were straigter or wider, their hair was straighter or curlier, that it should be a boy not a girl or vice versa, we are saying that our inheritance is too small and we are unhappy about it. When you do the best to nurture, teach, correct, discipline, praise, encourage and support them, then we are wisely investing our inheritance.
How do you see your gift or inheritance?
The verse continues in the KJV to say: The fruit of the womb is his reward. Fruit here means "bear or "bring forth" Reward means "compensation" or "benefit" put another way what we bring forth from our womb is a benefit or compensation from God.
The fact that you are a mother means that God thought so highly of you that he compensated or rewarded you with a child or children.
Verse 4 says "As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth."  arrows here means shaft of a spear, dart, staff, wound. Mighty men- refers to warriors. A spear is used by warriors to defend them against the enemies. However they will first need to know how to use the spear correctly. Our children especially in their youth, are therefor our defender against our enemies, but we need to know how to use them properly to fulfill this duty. As verse 5 ends " they shall not be ashamed (confounded,disappointed) but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Here is what our prayer should be:
Father I thank you for rewarding me with this child(ren) as an inheritance. I recognize father that you do not do anything that is not well thought out. So I realize that I am able to do this job as you strenthens me. I will teach, nurture, encourage, discipline in love and support my child (ren) representing a wise investment of my inheritance. In the end father they will yield so much more by their choices of friends, careers, and spouses. Forgive me of trying to exchange my inheritance for something that looks more attractive, or for squandering my inheritance like a foolish woman. I also realize that they are also your children and that you love them much more than I ever could. I thank you that you have a plan for them just as you have for me. So please help me to seek you as I put my plans into place, to make sure that my plans line up with your plans for their life. In the end father, I will be happy to give an account to you about my reward. In Jesus name Amen.

Please post your questions or comments.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Welcome!

Welcome to Prayers of a Mother!

My name is Vilma Davis and I am the founder of MPush, a ministry that was started in August of 2010.  The purpose and mission of MPush is to empower mothers to be on the offensive in consistently praying for their children, their neighbors’ children, their community’s children, and the nations’ children. In addition, it is our desire for women to pray for themselves as well as their children’s fathers.  We believe that children are a blessing/gift from God and as such we need to protect our blessing.

This blog will serve as an extension of the ministry as we strive to empower mothers worldwide.  It is my desire to use this blog as a reminder of the importance and value of the prayers of a mother.  Buckle your seatbelt and join me on this journey!  

In His Purpose,

Vilma Davis