A Mother’s Obligation Part 1

My mama used to tell me that I thought I loved her but to wait until I had my own baby and I would then know love. Mama was right. That very first moment I laid eyes on my Logan Elizabeth and Morgan Tracee my life changed. It was no longer about me but everything to do with these two precious gifts the Lord has so graciously given me.

Logan (21 months) and Morgan (6 1/2 months) were but babies when I got saved in September 1996. I never knew what it was like to carry them in my womb as a child of God. I’m here to tell you that when I did get saved a whole new responsibility I’d never even thought of began to be laid out right before me. How in the world would I keep these darlings from going the paths that I did as a child? How could I teach them to love the Lord at a young age? How Lord? Became my every day cry.

In 1 Samuel a lady named Hannah longed for a child. She didn’t just want a baby to fulfill her own heart’s longings. No, she wanted a child to raise for the Lord, a child that wouldn’t be just a good kid but a godly kid. Hannah has taught me some things through the years and I’d like to share them with you today.

Hannah’s love for the Lord carried over onto her love for Samuel. It made her love unconditional, unchangeable and understanding.

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

1 Samuel 1:10-11

I learned like Hannah that I had to Train up my child. Hannah made a promise to the Lord that she wouldn’t hold back or hinder her child from serving the Lord. She would do everything in her power to raise him to wholly love the Lord. Hannah prepared Samuel to serve the Lord.

Samuel was just like you and I, a born sinner. He had to be pointed to Christ. The world has a pull on our children and we, as mothers, have an obligation to turn our children from it.

Training requires work. You can’t expect your children to be godly if you’re not making and molding them to be. To train our child is kinda like teaching their palate to have a taste for something. A baby has a taste for milk, but if you feed them soda or tea instead of what is meant to nourish them it will harm their health. The same goes with spiritually. What we create a taste for in our children is what they will thirst after, such as, worldliness or godliness.

As I would hold my babies rocking them to sleep, I’d beg the Lord to show me how to train them not to walk the path their momma did. He began showing me that I needed to saturate their little hearts with scripture. Yes, as babies, I began reading the Bible to them. I sang scripture. I had it playing when they laid down to take naps or going to bed at night. As they learned to talk, I taught them verses by song or gestures. As they were learning to read, I taught them to find words like God, Jesus, and any word they recognized and underline it in their bibles. Every morning they “read” their bibles too. In homeschool their reports were on different characters in the Bible. I wanted every thing to be based and saturated from the scriptures. Train them in His Word!

I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

Psalm 119:99

Training takes consistency. You cannot do it one day and not the next. You have to be diligent in correction. No one likes being told they are wrong. Especially that cute little baby who smiles that mischievous grin. But if we, as mothers, want to live out our obligation we have to be firm. It’s hard sometimes. It’s hard when all you want to do is laugh. It’s hard when you’re tired and just don’t feel like it. It’s hard when you correct them over and over for the same thing. We have to choose our hard. If we fail to train them to obey the authority they can see, they won’t obey the Authority they cannot see. Yes it’s that important. We are training our children to listen to His Voice. Not one of us wants our child to reject the Saviour when He knocks on their heart’s door. So, train your child to obey the first time they are told not the second, third and so on. When they don’t obey, consequences should always take place. Train them in His Ways!

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Proverbs 22:15

Training your children with chores is very vital. They need responsibilities. They aren’t to be waited on hand and foot. We, as mothers, should be showing them how to cook, clean, etc… When they start walking have them help you clean up their toys. My daughters at 3 years old began to have “chores”. Small age appropriate chores. After Bible reading and memorization they did chores. I let them make their own beds. Haha that was a hard one when you want it perfect, but you’re training so let them grow in it. It will get neater over time. (And you learn patience in the process 😉) If every day they have responsibilities they will grow up to be dependable and hard working adults and Christians. Our children will grow to labor for the Lord. Train them in His Work!

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Hebrews 6:10

Our number one obligation as a mother is to raise a child to be an arrow for the Lord. When we fail to train them for the Lord it brings us shame. In Proverbs 29:15 the Bible tells us “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” Momma let’s train our children to want to make the right decisions in life. Let’s create that taste for His Word, His Ways and His Work, so that one day, we can be like Hannah and know we gave our all to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

You can find helpful age appropriate chore lists online. ☺️