Eight Blessed Mothers in the Bible
Eight mothers in the Bible played key roles in the coming of Jesus Christ. None of them was perfect, yet each showed strong faith in God. God, in turn, rewarded them for their confidence in him. These mothers lived in an age when women were often treated as second class citizens, yet God appreciated their true worth, just as he does today. Motherhood is one of life’s highest callings.
Eve was the first woman and the first mother. Without a single role model or mentor, she paved the maternal way to become “Mother of All the Living.” She and her mate Adam lived in Paradise, but they spoiled it by listening to Satan instead of God. Eve suffered terrible grief when her son Cain murdered his brother Abel, yet despite these tragedies, Eve went on to fulfill her part in God’s plan of populating the Earth.
Sarah was one of the most important women in the Bible. She was the wife of Abraham, which made her the mother of the nation of Israel. Yet Sarah was barren. She conceived through a miracle in spite of her old age. Sarah was a good wife, a loyal helper and builder with Abraham. Her faith serves as a shining example for every person who has to wait on God to act.
Rebekah, like her mother-in-law Sarah, was barren. When her husband Isaac prayed for her, God opened Rebekah’s womb and she conceived and gave birth to twin sons, Esau and Jacob. During an age when women were typically submissive, Rebekah was quite assertive. At times Rebekah took matters into her own hands. Sometimes that worked out, but it also resulted in disastrous consequences.
Jochebed, the mother of Moses, is one of the under appreciated mothers in the Bible, yet she also showed tremendous faith in God. To avoid the mass slaughter of Hebrew boys, she set her baby adrift in the Nile River, hoping someone would find him and raise him. God so worked that her baby was found by Pharaoh’s daughter. Jochebed even became her own son’s nurse. God used Moses mightily, to free the Hebrew people from their 400 year bondage of slavery and take them to the promised land. Although little is written about Jochebed in the Bible, her story speaks powerfully to mothers of today.
Hannah’s story is one of the most touching in the entire Bible. Like several other mothers in the Bible, she knew what it meant to suffer long years of barrenness. In Hannah’s case she was cruelly taunted by her husband’s other wife. But Hannah never gave up on God. Finally her heartfelt prayers were answered. She gave birth to a son, Samuel, then did something entirely selfless to honor her promise to God. God favored Hannah with five more children, bringing great blessing to her life.
Bathsheba was the object of King David’s lust. David even arranged to have her husband Uriah the Hittite killed to get him out of the way. God was so displeased with David’s actions that he struck dead the baby from that union. In spite of heartbreaking circumstances, Bathsheba remained loyal to David. Their next son, Solomon, was loved by God and grew up to become Israel’s greatest king. From David’s line would come Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. And Bathsheba would have the distinguished honor of being one of only five women listed in Messiah’s ancestry.
Barren in her old age, Elizabeth was another of the miracle mothers in the Bible. She conceived and gave birth to a son. She and her husband named him John, as an angel had instructed. Like Hannah before her, she dedicated her son to God, and like Hannah’s son, he also became a great prophet, John the Baptist. Elizabeth’s joy was complete when her relative Mary visited her, pregnant with the future Savior of the World.
Mary was the most honored mother in the Bible, the human mother of Jesus, who saved the world from its sins. Although she was only a young, humble peasant, Mary accepted God’s will for her life. She suffered enormous shame and pain, yet never doubted her Son for a moment. Mary stands as highly favored by God, a shining example of obedience and submission to the Father’s will.
By: Jack Zavada
Announcements
Sunday School – 8:30 AM in the Community Building
Choir Practice Every Wednesday at 4:00pm
You may reach Pastor Joe at 570-465-7303 or his cell #570-267-4570
Thursday, May 1 – National Day Of Prayer
Sunday, May 11 – Mother’s Day
Monday, May 12 – Mother-Daughter Banquet – 6pm in the Community Building
Friday, May 16 & Saturday May 17 – Rummage Sale & Bake Sale – See Lori Webster if you can help on either day.
Saturday, May 17 – Armed Forces Day
Saturday, May 17 – Family Supper – 5:30pm in the Community Building
Monday, May 26 – Memorial Day
Pastor Joe will be coming to choir practice on Wed. afternoons and stay afterward for anyone who would like to meet with him. It would be best to call or e-mail to make arrangements.
Baby Bottle Campaign – CareNet – April 27th until Mother’s Day, May 11th – get your baby bottle for your donations or you may designate it in your envelope. Any questions see Joyce Printz. Thank you!
Mother-Daughter Banquet – Monday, May 12th – 6:00PM – We enjoyed it so much last year we want to do it again. This is not just for young women, young men are invited also. There is a sign up sheet in the Narthex. Please bring a covered dish to share. Any question, see Bonne Travis.
The Annual meeting of the Franklin Hill Cemetery Association will be held on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 at the Franklin Hill Community Building at 7:30 PM. Marcia Perkins, Sec 967-2634
Prayer Shawl Ministry – We have several shawls ready. If anyone knows of anyone in need of one, please let Carolyn White know. Also, if anyone is interested in making shawls at home and wants to donate them to this ministry, please give them to Carolyn White for distribution. Thank you!!!
Thank you to all who contributed and donated to the MaryKay/Women’s Resource Center fundraiser held on April 19th.
Relay for Life – The dates are Friday and Saturday, June 27th and 28th. The opening ceremonies will begin on Friday at approximately 5:30 pm followed by a survivor dessert reception and Luminaria ceremony at dusk. The next morning will follow with a survivor brunch and closing ceremony later in the morning. All are welcome to join us for a few minutes or the whole weekend in support of the many individuals and families in our own community who have been touched with cancer. I have registration forms for those who are survivors who wish to attend the dessert reception and or brunch. I will also have luminaria forms for those who wish to remember or honor someone who has had cancer, at our candle-lighting ceremony on Friday evening – For more information or forms, see Debbie Stalker.