ByFaith
God’s Powerful Provision for Mothers
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By Rev. Dr. Dwayne Bond
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M
otherhood is a beautiful thing. It is a tremendous gift to the mother herself, to her children and to her family. The sacrificial provisions that a mom makes for her kids is priceless. Whether a child enters a family through birth or adoption, a mother gives of herself from the time that a child arrives and even into adulthood. From the early years, she provides, serves, nurtures, guides and trains with the hope that one day her children will mature, become responsible and make a significant impact and a positive influence on society. While motherhood is typically rewarding, it can also be quite difficult. Challenges can stem from the fatigue of caring for a newborn, the ups and downs of training, the navigation of sibling tensions or the discouragement that comes with parenting a strong-willed or defiant child. Walking through the complexity of the teen years can also be unnerving as can the thoughtful mentoring of a young adult child. Depending on her marital status and the strength of her support system, the weight and the responsibility of parenting can be overwhelming. Where does an overwhelmed mother turn for help, support or relief? She can turn to God in His Word. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, there is a story of a mother who stumbled into a desperate and heart-wrenching situation as she faced the possibility of losing her kids. Her husband’s
unexpected death left her in debt and without money to pay her creditors. She was discouraged and struggled to figure out how to prevent her two sons from being sold into slavery in exchange for her debt. Her situation seemed bleak. What does a mother do during those times when she feels alone and perplexed? How does she navigate within those seasons? In 2 Kings 4:1-2, God in His grace used a godly man named Elisha, who her husband knew prior to his death. God sent him to help her. Elisha was safe. He was known for his heart for God and people. He was an example of a time-tested and trustworthy man. She explained to him that the creditors had threatened to take her children if her debts weren’t paid. Elisha asked the woman what resources she had in her home. The woman shared that she had a jar of oil. Wow! Sometimes God will bring people into our lives who not only help us, but also have a vision for our future that we fail to see. Since this mother did not know the value of the oil, God used Elisha to show her. Elisha told her to borrow as many empty vessels as she could from all her neighbors. He then told her to go inside of home, to shut the door and to have her sons pour the oil into the empty vessels. He said that when one was full, to set it aside and keep filling up the vessels. She continued to fill the vessels up until the oil stopped
flowing. This mother listened to the counsel of a godly and time-tested influencer who helped her leverage all that she had in her possession for the greater good of her family. She humbly followed his wisdom which included relying on other people for support. After she told Elisha that the oil had stopped flowing, he told her to sell the oil and pay the debt that she owed. He told her that after she sold the oil that their family would be able to live on the rest. This widowed mother was led by God to godly counsel. She took heed by leveraging what she possessed and watched God bless her efforts as He provided for her family for the rest of their lives. It takes a posture of humility and a willingness to trust God to navigate through the difficulties of life. But thank God that He knows what we need and how to meet our needs. If you’re a mother or a woman in any season of life and you are wondering how to navigate this pandemic with limited resources or with complex decisions before you, I pray that God gives you wisdom, makes you alert to His active hands and kind heart and provides for you abundantly. He is faithful. He is present. He does know. He does care. He can provide. And He will bring you through. P The Rev. Dwayne Bond is the lead pastor of Wellspring Church.
March-April 2022 | Pride Magazine
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