SAY MY NAME! Timeless Truths From Unnamed Women in the Bible, Part Three

Hear, my son your father's instruction
and forsake not your mother's teaching
Prov. 1:8 (ESV)

The word vigilant means, watchful, discerning and on the alert for possible danger.  This week's unnamed mother is one we can readily identify with.  Her son was born during a time and in a culture very much like ours today--immoral, violent, and spiritually weak!

And sadly, we find her modern-day sisters here too!  They are in cities notoriously known as: Kill-adelphia, Nap-ghanistan, and Chi-raq.  Their tear stained faces flash across our television screen daily. Their haunting presence in criminal court rooms all over America quietly watching and praying for a change!   We know her as...

THE VIGILANT MOTHER ( Judges 13:1-14)

The back story of this well known Bible saga is not generally emphasized in movies about Samson. Usually his relationship with Delilah is the focus.  But read Judges 13-16 and get the rest of the story!  You'll find an incredibly insightful and grateful mom driven to distraction by a strong willed and rebellious son!

 Samson, the Bible hero of Israel was the kind of child that kept his parents up all night wondering what he was up to!  Although he was a Son of Destiny, called from the womb to be a Nazarite (sanctified, set apart for God's use); he was not immune from sin.   

As a young adult, he was wanton, hot tempered, and was known to visit prostitutes.   But get this!  He was raised by a mother who did everything by the book!   She was God-fearing. Although barren for many years, unlike Sarah, she did not use a surrogate to become a mother. She was spiritually discerning.  She knew when God was talking to her and she obeyed without hesitation.  She set a godly example before her child. And in spite of it all, for twenty years she watched her child make mistake after mistake.

She watched, believed, and prayed long enough to see Samson finally fulfill God's destiny for his life!  And you can too!  So let's take a page from the Vigilant Mothers Handbook.  When your children insist on living on the edge and refuses to heed your pleas, here's what you can do!

1.  P.U.S.H. (Pray Until Something Happens) - I Thess. 5:17
2. Keep watching for opportunities to give wise counsel - Prov. 1:8
3. Don't waver in the belief that God will bring good things  out of this - Gal. 6:9
4. Let God's Word keep you encouraged -Ps. 119: 92

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

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SAY MY NAME! Timeless Truths From Unnamed Women in the Bible, Part Two

"Do not fear, I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name.  You are
mine."  Isaiah 43:1b ESV)

Some mothers are called by birth and some are women who just had babies!  A true mother, whether she has birthed a child or not is no stranger to a lifetime of selfless love and sacrifice.  There's literally not much she wouldn't do to save her child from a life of pain and destruction!

That's why I guess, this Old Testament story gave me pause!  It's nestled between the accolades of King Solomon and his request for wisdom rather than possessions (I Kings 3:1-15) and the onset of his long prosperous reign in Israel!  But the real story to me, is not in Solomon's wise judgement but in the sacrifice of one incredibly courageous mother! Say her name with me, she is.....

A SACRIFICING MOTHER (I Kings 3:16-28)

There are two unnamed women in this story! Funny how the Bible writers don't tell us their names but didn't forget to mention their profession--they were prostitutes and they were mothers!  Could it be that, God needed to remind us that His grace covers even sinners who could draw a nice pension from the world's oldest profession? 

Again, I encourage you to read the scriptures for yourself, but let me just say to you.  When it came down to a life altering decision to be made; of the two women...only one made the choice of a mother!!!  Here's  a bit of wisdom that we need to share with young women today! 

1. Motherhood is a Spiritual calling (one of the highest)--sacred and life-long!  It is not a burden but a privilege and a place of powerful influence on the world.

It is not a hobby to venture into as trendy, convenient, and if need be, transferable when you want to do your own thing! You don't pick it up and put it down like a toy once you've grown tired of the responsibility. Children are a precious gift from the Lord (Psalms 127:3) no matter how they got here!

2.  Motherhood is a Sacred duty! Mothers are the child's first teachers!  That's why two verses in Proverbs, the book of wisdom, tell us that we should train, even from the womb, the child's personality and behavior toward God's purposes (Prov. 22:6; 15). He has entrusted such to us and the result has been mind blowing! (2 Tim. 1:5-6, Ex. 2:1-10, Luke 2:39-40) To neglect this duty is an embarrassment to the goodness of the Lord!

3. Motherhood is a Selfless priority!  When you bring a child into the world, life is no longer, all about you!  Forget about those so-called rights and cultural privileges and entitlement!  I've known mothers to go without food so their children could eat. (And some mothers who got their nails done instead of grocery shopping!)  Who wore shoes with holes so their children could be clothed. (And some who bought shoes while their children wore holes!)

Who delayed their dreams, so their child could achieve theirs, (And some who let others raise their child, go to their games, and birthday parties, while they finished their degrees!) The sacrificing mothers are in the first bunch and some have never given physical birth.  They are god-mothers, foster mothers, surrogate mothers, spiritual mothers, grand mothers, adopted mothers, etc.  

THANK YOU GOD FOR THESE NAMELESS MOTHERS -THANK YOU THAT THE CHILDREN THAT THEY HAVE NURTURED, AND ARE IN POWERFUL PLACES OF INFLUENCE, CAN NOW RISE UP AND CALL THEM BLESSED!  (Proverbs 31:28)! 

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

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SAY MY NAME! Timeless Truths From Unnamed Women in the Bible, Part One

Before I formed you in the belly
I knew thee...(Jer. 1:5)

Recently, I spent five incredible mornings, hosting my church's week day 6:30 am prayer  line!  Meeting with brothers and sisters that early in the morning with praises and prayers in their hearts has been a special delight for me. It has also become a Spiritual life line for many facing incredible challenges ... including myself!

Since Mothers Day was soon approaching, I just had to give a shout out to these paragons of strength and courage, so I turned to God's Word for inspiration! 

Knowing that the virtues of Mary, Hannah, Deborah, Rachel and the like, would find their way over the pulpits on Sunday, I began a search of Unnamed Women!  Women who often get lost between the pages of Holy Writ.  Unsung heroines, with spotty reputations and less than virtuous lives.  Women whose spirits spoke to my spirit, because my life ain't  been no prayer book either! 

 As I turned the pages, they said to me... Say My Name, I'm a Mother too!  I cried, I sacrificed, I nurtured, I counseled...Won't you tell My story? And I said... I will... so for any one willing to read and learn, hear now the voice of:

A CONCERNED MOTHER - The Syro-phonecian Woman - Matthew 15:21-28

Do you have a child hooked on the modern demons of our time: drugs, sex, alcohol and violence? Life styles so horrible and degrading that you can't believe they came from your womb? What would you do to save his or her life? Take a cue from this Mom: alone (we don't know where daddy is?), unchurched, unsophisticated, considered a low-life to some,  willing to step up in the very face of Jesus to ask for help...what gall!  As you read the chronicles, it appears Jesus initially ignores her..He doesn't say a word.  She goes to the disciples, more aggressive in her pleas...they try to get rid of her. Finally they ask Jesus to dismiss her, putting an end to the matter! But nothing will deter her, she doesn't give up!  Call me what you want, just help my child, she cries! Finally, her persistence pays off and her child was not only healed, but her faith was rewarded.  And although she still remains unnamed, her story is forever recorded in the bible to give concerned mothers everywhere hope!

THIS IS WHAT WE'VE LEARNED:

1.  Be Prayerful - Never give up on your child - Ask, Seek, Knock..Matthew 7:7

2. Be Persistent - Delay doesn't mean Denial! - Ephesians 6:18; Luke 18:1-8

3.  Be Humble - Do not be arrogant in your request, God owes you nothing! James 4:6


UNTIL NEXT TIME...

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