Intentional Motherhood: Just Like Me!

I heard it again, just the other day.  We were sitting on the sidelines of a walking track, she was enjoying her yogurt tube and a complete stranger walking by us said it to me:

"She sure looks like you."

Actually, I hear it a lot. There is no mistaking that she in mine! 

Just, look at her messing with the dough, just like her Mama. Listen to her telling everybody what to do, (ahem) just like her mother. {In her third-born self-appointed authority!}

Yes, she is just like me and that is the part that is so hard to take.

How can someone so innocent, so delightful be born just like her mother, a sinner; a daughter of Eve who took of the forbidden fruit and gave it to Adam and they ate, even when they knew they were not to.

Adam, who was created in the image of God and after His likeness chose to take of the forbidden fruit and that sin distorted what God had created. That likeness has been distorted ever since.

When Adam and Eve became parents their children took on their likeness that had been terribly distorted.

Just a few short chapters into the beginning of time and we read of the power of sin and of how Adam’s firstborn takes the life of his brother.

“This first picture of family life that God gives us in His Word casts a dim light on our own homes! Parents can often see their own shortcomings and failures in the sinful behavior of their children! When parents realize that their children have inherited their own evil natures, this should make them very patient and wise in disciplining their children. It should lead parents to seek the only cure for sin – the grace and the life that comes from above!” (p.15)

 If God originally created the family to reflect the love of the Father in heaven then I need to seek for the reign of love in my home.

We read that God created man in His likeness, but then we also read a little later that Adam ‘became the father of a son who was just like him--in his very image.’

“These words refer not only to a blessing lost in Paradise, and to a curse that came with sin, but also a grace that comes with redemption . . . a born-again believer cannot by natural birth bring forth a child in his own spiritual likeness. However . . . what nature cannot accomplish, prayer and a life of faith can obtain through the promises and the power of God . . . As faith and prayer claim the promise and power of God, the consecrated lives of father and mother will have power to mold the lives of their children . . . and establish them in their walk with God.” (p.17) (emphasis mine)

Although we, by nature, have passed on our evil natures to our children, by the grace that we have received we have the blessing to ‘lead a life marked by love to God and man.’ (p.17)

Love must be central. 

It demands self-sacrifice. 

But, it is the love of God that ‘is the secret of a loving home on earth.’ 

“When parents love the Lord their God with all their heart, then family love will be strengthened . . . those parents who are willing to live consecrated lives, entirely given up to God, will receive the full promise and blessing. If we want to make our homes a foretaste of heaven, then ordinary, half-hearted religion is not enough. Only the love of God shed abroad in our hearts and our lives will make our homes on earth in the likeness of the home above." (p.18) (emphasis mine)

A Mother’s Prayer

 "Lord God, we bow before You in deep humility. We desire to feel more deeply the terrible power of sin in ourselves and our children. Make us aware of the danger to which sin exposes our beloved home. We confess that we have failed to show that pure love which You meant to be the beauty of family life. In our relationship with You and each other, and our children, forgive us for our lack of love. Bless our children with the Spirit of love. Help us to walk before them in love, that Your Spirit may use our example and our likeness to form them into Your holy likeness." (pp.18-19)

*****

{all quotations taken directly from 'Raising Your Child for Christ' by Andrew Murray, unless otherwise noted}



There's a little book, 'Raising Your Children for Christ' by Andrew Murray, on my shelf that I keep bringing down and leafing through and, Lord willing, on Wednesdays I hope to share snippets of my gleanings from it.

I don't claim to know all the answers. I need to dig deeper so that I can be even more equipped to be the mother that God intended. I am so thankful that this task of raising our children has not been given to me alone.

Is there something in your life that makes mothering hard?


Join me on this journey? It is not a list of rules and how-to's but rather a chance to look into your own life and heart and be challenged to live a life wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord. 

For the first post in this series on Intentional Motherhood you can find it here.

For all posts in this series you can read them here.

Thank you for your comments. They are an encouragement to me.