A MOTHER'S HEART

A Mother’s Heart

Sometimes bearing our hearts is so painful, it’s tough to share. Every mother faces heartbreak in some form. It might be when she feels for her child when he’s picked on at school, waving good-bye on the first day of kindergarten or when dropping her off at college. There are bigger difficulties: Illnesses of children, some incurable, others ongoing; drug addiction, rebellion, alcoholism, mental illness, estrangement. Mothers feel it differently than fathers—for the most part. My wonderful husband, Jack, refers to it as the invisible umbilical cord, which is quite a bit different than the proverbial apron strings.

Young Mother Sewing by Mary Cassatt {PD}

Unfortunately, moms often feel they should take the blame for everything their child does. We wonder if we had done something different, if they’d have made better decisions. What we don’t know is, if they would have made worse decisions without our nurturing. God, with His sovereign knowledge, gave us just the right kids and he gave our children the parents he deemed necessary. He fits us together. Not that that gives parents the right to mistreat their children. They aren’t our property, but they are loaned to us for a time.

So often the stories I write surround mothers and children. Orphans being fit into the right family, just as God adopted His children through His son, Jesus—His sacrifice on the cross, our faith—His gift of grace.

As I’ve been going over a biblical story I’ve been writing about Moses relationship with his mothers, I’ve been thinking about faith and sacrifice. As he is placed in a basket on the river, what faith Jochebed had to completely let go of him, knowing she had to trust the Lord to keep him safe. Then, after she placed him back into the hands of Pharaoh’s daughter after weaning him, she had to completely release Moses again.  

Moses' Mother by Alexey Tyranov {PD}

We read a few lines in the book of Exodus that span a few years. How much family time was packed in there? How many emotions? And yet, God allowed Jochebed to have her baby back for a couple of years as his wet nurse. I’ve tried to get into her head and heart, trying to experience what she must have felt. I’m not sure I could ever do her feelings complete justice, because I live in such a completely different time and culture. However, a mother’s heart is universal. Whether borne from our bodies or adopted, we want the best for our children. If are no longer able to fill that role, or it’s time for them to leave the nest, mother’s feel as though a piece of their heart is being taken from them. That’s how close we feel to our children.

Jochebed’s faith challenges me to release my children’s care to the Lord, even if I have to do it several times a day. It gives me the opportunity to tell Him I trust His plan. Praying isn’t just the only thing we can do sometimes, it’s the most we can do!

About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months.  But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River.  The baby’s sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him. Exodus 2:1-4, NLT