By Van Yandell
Luke 1:26-27 “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.”
Some believe there is a “Mother Gene” in all females. If there is, it may be stronger in some than in others. If that desire to bear children is real, our mothers loved us before we were born or even conceived. That desire by mothers in the Bible (Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth) could reinforce the theory.
A quote of actress Sophia Loren is laden with wisdom, “When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.” Mothers are forever; their child is always at the forefront of her thoughts.
Abraham Lincoln: “No man is poor who has a Godly mother.” One’s mother is among, if not at the top of the list, one’s greatest treasures. Mothers claim at the first sight of their newborn, the pain is totally forgotten. I’m not sure I believe that but would never dare to argue.
When no one else on earth loves you, you can count on mom. She’ll never give up on you and will always lead the charge to protect you.
“I realized when you look at your mother you are looking at the purest love you will ever know.” Mitch Albom (international best-selling author). If that quote doesn’t touch the heart and soul of every mother’s child, I can’t imagine what it would take.
Sermons are rarely heard on the mothers in the Bible, but in fact, some of the most dynamic and notable personalities in the scriptures are women.
Eve was the mother of all mankind and grandmother to all of us. There may be several thousand “greats” preceding grandmother but (Biblically speaking) she is our common ancestor.
Of course, Eve is best known for leading Adam into sin, but it was inevitable someone would have sooner or later. It just so happened she got the job. Sin was and is a link in the chain between creation and eternity.
My mother had a sense of humor. I remember seeing her laugh so hard, tears came in her eyes. She was also very creative. I well remember going into her house one day and her Bible was opened to the 91st Psalm. That chapter is often read when one is distraught or depressed.
I asked, “Mother, what’s wrong, why are you reading the 91st Psalm?” Flipping the page she said, “That’s where I keep my valium.” And there was a little yellow pill laying in her Bible. After her death, I was looking at her Bible and found a yellow pill in that same location. I’ve often wondered if it was the same pill.
She played the piano and if I may say so, she was really good at it. Among her favorites were “Everlasting Arms” and “Boogie Woogie.” I often teased her, “If you ever need a job, you can go to work playing a piano in a honkey tonk.”
When I was about 5 years old and we lived in Marathon, Texas, I had a dog named “Ole Bullet.” Anytime we went anywhere in our 1951 brown Dodge, Bullet followed. Mother usually stuck me in the backseat, I suppose for protection or to not bother her while she was driving. She asked me if Bullet was chasing and I looked out the back window and said “No.”
When she looked back, Bullet was in the seat beside me. We were eating ice cream with a little wooden spoon. She asked, “Are you giving that dog ice cream off of the spoon you’re eating with? I replied “He’s eating off of the other end.” She went bonkers.
I know people like to think their mother is their guardian angel or in Heaven looking down on them. There is no Bible reference that I know of to validate this thought and I’m very thankful for that. I don’t want Mom watching me; she’d find a way to communicate.
The Christian values mothers are compelled and empowered to teach their child is the “guardian angel” that lasts a lifetime.
Hannah was the mother of the prophet Samuel. She was one of Elkanah’s two wives. The other was Peninnah who had children but Hannah could not conceive. 1 Samuel 1:6 “And her adversary Peninnah, also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.”
Women of the Bible also demonstrate the cruelty we all know some people are capable of. Hannah’s life was miserable because of her infertility, but Peninnah made it worse with her constant torment.
Hannah’s determination to mother a child motivated her into persistent prayer. She is one of the many examples in the Bible of the power of prayer. After months and perhaps years of praying she promised God that her child’s life would be dedicated to Him (1 Samuel 1:11).
Her story also demonstrates to us why, if our prayers are not answered, maybe we’re praying the wrong (or incomplete) prayer. Her son, the prophet Samuel, became one of the most powerful writers of the Word of God in Jewish history.
The story of Queen Esther tells us of the influence and power a woman can have. King Ahasuerus’ wife, Vashti, refused to appear before the leaders of the kingdom and Ahasuerus became very angry. She was either executed or banished from the royal quarters and this opened the way for Esther to become Queen.
Esther was raised by her uncle Mordecai who overheard a plan to overthrow the king. In reporting this to Esther the plan was thwarted and Ahasuerus was saved and his enemies hanged. This established Esther’s credibility to accompany her beauty and worthiness to be queen. Later, a plan was made by Haman the Agagite to eradicate the Jews. Upon learning of this, Mordecai told Esther, who told the king she was a Jew. Ahasuerus had Haman executed and the Jewish people were saved.
Once again we see God’s people saved from near extinction. In choosing the Jewish people and nation to provide the world with a Savior, God’s protection became obvious. While Esther is not significant in the lineage of Jesus as a mother, as a woman, her influence was greatly realized. It is believed she had one son, named Darius II, who would rebuild the Jerusalem temple.
The story of Ruth is sad but also very powerful. Elimelech moved his wife Naomi and two sons to Moab because of a famine. The sons married Moabite women; one was Ruth.
The sons and Elimelech died leaving behind Naomi and Ruth. After returning to Israel, Ruth met and married Boaz. They became the parents of Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of King David (Ruth 4:21-22). David became one of the most celebrated Kings in the history of Israel and is found directly in the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:6).
Of all the mothers in the Bible, I find the story of Elizabeth and Mary in Luke chapter one as being the one to read and contemplate. God arranges a time frame to accomplish His will and plan. This is just as true for us today individually (and as a church) as it was 2,000 years ago.
Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, were “old and stricken in years.” The angel Gabriel came to him and told he and Elizabeth would become parents in their old age and to name the son John (Luke 1:13).
Elizabeth was very excited but had no idea at first how blessed she and Zacharias were. Her son would become John the Baptist and would, later in life, baptize the Savior of the world.
When Mary became aware of her pregnancy, she visited her cousin Elizabeth. When Mary told Elizabeth of her visit from Gabriel, the baby “leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:41). The Bible said she was filled with the Holy Spirit and she rejoiced.
Of the roles of a mother, at the very top of the list is to teach their children about the saving power of our Lord Jesus. By teaching about Him, the standards of right and wrong are established (Proverbs 22:6).
To have the assurance of an eternal perspective based on a faith based belief in Christ Jesus, crucified for the remission of sin and resurrected is priceless. Mothers, you may very well be the most important person you child has ever known. Happy Mother’s Day!
Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and commissioned missionary, from Fredonia, Kentucky. This column is part of the Bible Connection series.
