To Moms from Moses
As I sit to write today’s blog posting I realize that it has been such a long time since I have posted. I have been praying about today’s posting for several weeks and the true prayer of my heart is that it will be of help and a blessing to the ladies the Lord leads to read this. If for no one else, I pray it will be something my own children and grandchildren will one day read and find a glimpse of the thoughts that cross my heart as I read from God’s precious Word.
Every year I read my Bible cover to cover – at least once and many years I read it at least twice. I always follow a schedule of sorts – a number of pages a day (right now its 10) and sometimes I read it in alphabetical order (Acts to Zephaniah); this year I am reading it in order of “types” of books… Epistles, The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, Gospels. Interjected with that I have been doing a study on Proverbs 31 – so I am reading that every day. I find amazing the different things I have learned simply by reading my Bible not only daily, but also in different sequences – I have found it to offer different prospective to my meditation and in the instruction I gain.
Anyway, I said all of that to say that this year in my reading I have seen a lesson that I believe is helpful to all women that work with children, but most especially to mothers. For many years my husband taught an adult Sunday school class, “The HomeBuilders” that was geared to young married couples. We loved working with the wonderful people God brought to us, and have kept in contact with so many of them through these last 21 years since the class started! Now I’m a grandma 12 times over and my own children are the ages of the couples we taught and worked with back then…I’m old!
In reading through the Law portion of the Bible I see Moses and the children of Israel and I find so many patterns that I believe are not only a lesson to moms, but also a picture of the progression raising children should follow.
In Exodus I see the travail of the birth (of the nation of Israel) – I see the difficulty of “getting them out” and then the victory when they go through the Red Sea! I picture that as the actual birth – think mom of the difficulties that plaque you throughout your pregnancy and then when it’s time to birth the baby they have to exit the water (amniotic fluid – ie Red Sea) to be released to their home! Initially the birth is said to be very traumatic for babies, which is why God very graciously does not allow us to remember it! At birth the babies cry without realizing that we, as parents will provide their needs…just like the children of Israel!
The next progression I find that again reminds me of working with and developing children is when Moses is spending his whole day counseling the children of Israel. I have pictured this as the new mom being at her baby’s beck and call all day and all night!! Now, when they’re newborns that is to be expected and mom’s job is to get the baby on a schedule of sleeping at night, being awake during the day, and eating on a healthy schedule. The problem I find is the same one that Moses encountered and that was not knowing when to go the next step – when to expect them to know what to do!
Moses father-in-law saw what was going on and counseled Moses that what he was doing was not a good thing! Mom – the same is true for you – you should not spend your day undoing your children’s mishaps for years on end! You should be training them right from the beginning. When they begin to crawl, stop them from touching things they should not be touching. Train them to eat properly! All kids go through putting food in their hair, throwing food on the floor, not wanting to sit in the high chair, etc. BUT your job is to train them! Moses was wearing himself out! “When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.” Exodus 18:16, 17 In other words, he was waiting until they did something and then judging the matter – they had no rules to begin with!
The next bit of advice that Jethro gave to Moses was this: “Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.” Exodus 18:19-20.
Mom – that is your job! You can start this when are even just months old! 2 years old is too late to begin training your children. Start with their schedule, then with how to behave when you feed them, how to behave in the stroller, what not to touch as well as what they can touch, where not to go and where they are free to play – and with that make sure you are constantly doing so because you love them and while showing your love for them – your goal is to train them to be obedient, individual, strong, independent, and responsible children. Notice that they needed to learn ordinances: the proper order – and WHO in charge of the orders, laws: rules; the way wherein they must walk: how to behave; and work: responsibility!
Too many moms are pulling their hair and spinning their wheels all day because they are just allowing their children to do what they will and then correct the problem instead of establishing ordinances, laws, proper behavior, and responsibilities! Being a mom is a 24/7 job, BUT I find none other that may bring more to our next generation! They are tough days – but stick with it…and the earlier you begin working on the ordinances, laws, behavior, and responsibility – the better it will be for all of you! It is much easier to spank a 2 year old than a 10 year old – and you will get much better results in the long run!
There is much more on this lesson from Moses to Mom – but I’ll save that for another day! For today ladies I pray you’ll have a wonderful day!
Every year I read my Bible cover to cover – at least once and many years I read it at least twice. I always follow a schedule of sorts – a number of pages a day (right now its 10) and sometimes I read it in alphabetical order (Acts to Zephaniah); this year I am reading it in order of “types” of books… Epistles, The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, Gospels. Interjected with that I have been doing a study on Proverbs 31 – so I am reading that every day. I find amazing the different things I have learned simply by reading my Bible not only daily, but also in different sequences – I have found it to offer different prospective to my meditation and in the instruction I gain.
Anyway, I said all of that to say that this year in my reading I have seen a lesson that I believe is helpful to all women that work with children, but most especially to mothers. For many years my husband taught an adult Sunday school class, “The HomeBuilders” that was geared to young married couples. We loved working with the wonderful people God brought to us, and have kept in contact with so many of them through these last 21 years since the class started! Now I’m a grandma 12 times over and my own children are the ages of the couples we taught and worked with back then…I’m old!
In reading through the Law portion of the Bible I see Moses and the children of Israel and I find so many patterns that I believe are not only a lesson to moms, but also a picture of the progression raising children should follow.
In Exodus I see the travail of the birth (of the nation of Israel) – I see the difficulty of “getting them out” and then the victory when they go through the Red Sea! I picture that as the actual birth – think mom of the difficulties that plaque you throughout your pregnancy and then when it’s time to birth the baby they have to exit the water (amniotic fluid – ie Red Sea) to be released to their home! Initially the birth is said to be very traumatic for babies, which is why God very graciously does not allow us to remember it! At birth the babies cry without realizing that we, as parents will provide their needs…just like the children of Israel!
The next progression I find that again reminds me of working with and developing children is when Moses is spending his whole day counseling the children of Israel. I have pictured this as the new mom being at her baby’s beck and call all day and all night!! Now, when they’re newborns that is to be expected and mom’s job is to get the baby on a schedule of sleeping at night, being awake during the day, and eating on a healthy schedule. The problem I find is the same one that Moses encountered and that was not knowing when to go the next step – when to expect them to know what to do!
Moses father-in-law saw what was going on and counseled Moses that what he was doing was not a good thing! Mom – the same is true for you – you should not spend your day undoing your children’s mishaps for years on end! You should be training them right from the beginning. When they begin to crawl, stop them from touching things they should not be touching. Train them to eat properly! All kids go through putting food in their hair, throwing food on the floor, not wanting to sit in the high chair, etc. BUT your job is to train them! Moses was wearing himself out! “When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.” Exodus 18:16, 17 In other words, he was waiting until they did something and then judging the matter – they had no rules to begin with!
The next bit of advice that Jethro gave to Moses was this: “Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.” Exodus 18:19-20.
Mom – that is your job! You can start this when are even just months old! 2 years old is too late to begin training your children. Start with their schedule, then with how to behave when you feed them, how to behave in the stroller, what not to touch as well as what they can touch, where not to go and where they are free to play – and with that make sure you are constantly doing so because you love them and while showing your love for them – your goal is to train them to be obedient, individual, strong, independent, and responsible children. Notice that they needed to learn ordinances: the proper order – and WHO in charge of the orders, laws: rules; the way wherein they must walk: how to behave; and work: responsibility!
Too many moms are pulling their hair and spinning their wheels all day because they are just allowing their children to do what they will and then correct the problem instead of establishing ordinances, laws, proper behavior, and responsibilities! Being a mom is a 24/7 job, BUT I find none other that may bring more to our next generation! They are tough days – but stick with it…and the earlier you begin working on the ordinances, laws, behavior, and responsibility – the better it will be for all of you! It is much easier to spank a 2 year old than a 10 year old – and you will get much better results in the long run!
There is much more on this lesson from Moses to Mom – but I’ll save that for another day! For today ladies I pray you’ll have a wonderful day!
Comments
Post a Comment