Posts
“Spiritual
Motherhood”
By Susanne
Scheppmann
Key Verse:
1
Thessalonians 2:7-8, “But we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for
her little children. We loved you so
much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but
our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” (NIV)
Devotion:
My
long sullen face refused to smile, even though Kay was making me laugh on the
inside. She continued to scrape out the
pumpkins and throw the stringy pungent seeds at the five kids seated around the
table. Kay chortled as one hit my nose
and hung down.
I
was fourteen and motherless. My mother
died the previous August and anger raged in me.
I remember thinking, “I shouldn’t have a good time with this
woman.” The notion of betrayal seemed to
lurk deep inside of me anytime I began to experience affection for Kay.
Kay
continued to love me through all my ugly teen angst. She proved the love of Jesus Christ to me
through her unfailing love. Kay is now
my stepmother. She eventually led me to
accept Jesus as my own personal Savior.
Although Kay is not my biological mother, she is my spiritual mother.
It
reminds me of the story of Naomi and Ruth.
Naomi was Ruth’s mother-in-law.
Naomi soon found herself a widow and both of her sons died. After all this tragedy, she decided to go back
to her hometown. Naomi advised both of
her widowed daughter-in-laws to go back to their own towns and find new
husbands.
But
Ruth loved Naomi as her mother-in-law and spiritual mentor. She did not want to be separated from Naomi
or her God. So Ruth replied, "Don't
urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and
where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”
(Ruth 1:16 NIV).
Naomi
and Ruth travel not only the road back to Bethlehem, but they journeyed on the
path of life together. Their story
continues with Naomi advising Ruth on matters of love and marriage. Their tale ends happily ever after with these
words:
The women said to Naomi: "Praise be to the
Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your
old age. For your daughter-in-law, who
loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth” (Ruth
4:14-15 NIV).
Spiritual
motherhood holds many benefits. I
profited eternally from Kay’s spiritual teaching. Also, God has allowed me the same
opportunities as Ruth and Naomi.
I
am the biological mother of two sons and I now have two wonderful
daughter-in-laws. I pray I can exhibit
the example of a godly woman to them.
God allowed me the honor of leading my own stepdaughter to accept Him as
her Savior. And if that wasn’t enough
blessings, He grants me the privilege to help serve women through my home
church and Proverbs 31 Ministries.
So
many times, I feel the motherly emotions of our Key Verse, “But we were gentle
among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much
that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our
lives as well, because you had become so dear to us (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8
NIV).”
Indeed,
spiritual motherhood is one of the greatest blessings of my life. I would like to encourage you to search for
women who need a spiritual mom. I
promise it will be a blessed experience for you. You just might say, “It’s the best Mother’s
Day ever!”
Prayer:
Dear
Lord, Open my eyes to opportunities to become a spiritual mom to someone. Help me to lead them into a deeper knowledge
of you. Lord, let me make an eternal
difference. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Application steps:
Read
the Book of Ruth through slowly. Write
down how Naomi guided and advised Ruth.
Make notes how God blessed Naomi throughout the book of Ruth. Then take a few moments and reflect on
“spiritual motherhood”.
Refection points:
Has
someone in my life been a spiritual mom to me?
Have
I ever thanked her?
Who
looks to me to guide them in their walk of faith?
What
can I do to encourage her?
Power verses:
Titus
2:3-5, “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live,
not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then
they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be
self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to
their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” (NIV)
Proverbs
16:20-21, “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who
trusts in the Lord. The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words
promote instruction.” (NIV)
© 2006 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.
