Happy Mother’s Day! It’s said, “Behind every good man is a great woman.” We usually apply this to our wives. But there is another woman to whom it applies. One who knew us and cared for us before we ever met our wives – our mothers.

Mothers are immeasurably valuable in a child’s life. They are the primary nurturer and caregiver. This is especially true in homes where the father is absent. Even where dads are present, moms tend to run the family.

I hope your kids celebrate you today. I hope you get the Mother’s Day you deserve. But I also hope you remember what a blessing your children are. Because unfortunately, they tend not to celebrate you the rest of the year!

Parenting is an exhausting job. Nothing wears you out quite like raising kids! It’s easy to forget God gave you children to bless you, not to burden you. Two of the Bible’s best moms remind us what a blessing they are.

Today, I hope you truly feel blessed to be a mother.

Two Moms, One Story

Jochebed and Hannah are two of the best moms in the Bible. Although they faced different situations and their sons were born almost five hundred years apart, their stories are the same.

Jochebed lived in Egypt with the rest of the Israelites before the exodus. Pharaoh ordered all their baby boys to be thrown into the Nile River. But she saw her son (Moses) was no ordinary child. She sensed God had a greater purpose for him.

After three months, she hid him in a basket on the bank of the Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter found him while bathing. She hired Jochebed to nurse the child until he was weaned. She then adopted him into the royal family (Exodus 2:1-10).

Hannah lived in Israel at the time of the judges. She was barren, but her husband had another wife who bore him children. She provoked Hannah to the point of depression. Hannah pleaded with God for a child and promised to commit him to His service.

God answered Hannah’s prayer by giving her a son (Samuel). She nursed him until he was weaned. Then she gave him over to the care of the priest at the tabernacle (1 Samuel 1).

Enjoy Your Children While You Can

Jochebed and Hannah only had a few short years with their sons. They knew they would give their sons away after weaning them. It’s no stretch to imagine they cherished every minute they spent together.

You should enjoy your children too. Whether you have them for only 2-3 years or 18 years, your time with them is limited. They grow up fast! Your children are your highest priority. More than your career, the quality of your lifestyle, or your personal happiness. Nothing is more important than them.

The Bible says, “Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3). Treasure your children. Don’t let the concerns of life crowd them out, or choke your enjoyment of them.

Entrust Your Children to God

Jochebed and Hannah showed tremendous faith in giving up their sons. Jochebed must have worried Moses would forget his heritage, his people and his God. Hannah must have worried about Eli raising her son considering his own sons were wicked. But these moms entrusted their sons to God.

As your children grow and become independent, you must entrust them to God too. You can’t make their decisions for them. Sometimes you have to let them make their own mistakes. You can’t shield them from painful or difficult situations, either.

It’s painful to stand by and watch your kids make decisions that go against God’s will. But the Bible says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

Trust God to guide the course of your children’s lives. Remember He has a sovereign plan for them. Have faith that His plan is best.

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