A Joyful Mother

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 6
“He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.” Psalm 113:99He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 113:9)
Titus tells us to love our children. Perhaps one reason that older women are told to teach this to younger women is that older women realize how short a time we have with our children at home. It may seem endless at the time, but the day will come soon enough when they are on their own.
Beyond giving them love, attention, food, clothes, and education in the few years that they are with us, there is an even more important aspect of mothering. God says, “Bring My sons  ...  and My daughters  ...  for I have created [them] for My glory” (Isaiah 43:6-76I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. (Isaiah 43:6‑7)). Living for God’s glory is the only thing that will bring our children true happiness. How do we give them that goal? Only God can give them salvation and a passionate desire to please Him. Our responsibility is to pray for them, and to model the joy of living for Jesus. If our children see the Christian walk as a privilege, rather than a troublesome duty, they are more apt to want to follow God’s way. “Draw me,” said the wisest man that ever lived, “we will run after Thee” (Song of Sol. 1:44Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. (Song of Solomon 1:4)).