He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children.
(Psalm 113:9)
Have you noticed how rare it is to find a truly happy mother? Almost anywhere, such as in Wal-Mart, you can find frustrated mothers, fearful mothers, fed-up mothers, hurried mothers, stressed-out mothers, or pre-occupied, prideful, impatient, harsh, jealous, arguing, angry, self-focused mothers. We can all act like this at times, but to be characterized as a happy mother is what every mother wants.
So, what makes for a happy mother of children? For surely we all want to be happy mothers. Is there a secret to being a happy mother? A double-latte from Starbucks? The perfect paper towel? The perfect house? Mr. Clean for the perfect house? The perfect baby? A better diaper? The perfect husband? Maybe Dr. Phil can help? What about the Nanny? Maybe she has all the answers? The world will try to sell you a million things that supposedly will make you a happy mother.
Notice from Psalm 113:9 that it is God who settles or establishes the happy mother of children. It is God Himself who makes the mother happy. A mother who knows God and knows God’s ways (or purposes or plans) will be able to be a happy mother, regardless of her circumstances.
There is a strange verse in Scripture that actually tells us what God’s plan is for women who become mothers.
But women will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love, and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:15)
This verse sounds strange because it uses the word “saved.” “Saved” here doesn’t mean “actual salvation,” but it means “continuing salvation” or sanctification. We know that sanctification is the process of becoming more like Christ. So this verse says that motherhood is an opportunity for spiritual growth. Children become tools in God’s hand to sanctify mothers.
So how does understanding this strange verse and God’s plan help a woman to be a happy mother? It should serve as a warning for her to be prepared to struggle with sin - her own sin. Now, this might not sound right to you: that the way to make a mother happy is to tell her to expect a struggle with sin. But the rest of the verse tells how the mother can overcome the sin struggle and be sanctified. It says for her to continue in faith, love, and holiness.
Tomorrow we will look at the first of these: faith.
