Daily Devotional. Sept 2, 2023 The first mother
“But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.”
1 Timothy 2:15
Almost every mom has a memorable anecdote during her “amateur” days as a mother. Some may be hilarious, some dramatic, others full of suspense. First time motherhood is usually marred with difficulty which could include conception and pregnancy woes, birth pains, and the physical and emotional toll of the first few months of parenting.
The good thing about first time parenting nowadays is the availability of help in coping with the difficulties of motherhood. We now have access to information, healthcare, elderly and peer advice, and even physical help to get through the rigors of the new responsibility given to us. But how about Eve? The first woman created by the Lord, and the Mother of all creation? (“The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” Genesis 3:20)
Have we ever wondered how she coped with the difficulty of pregnancy and childbirth knowing that it had been painful because she gave in to the temptation of eating the forbidden fruit? (“To the woman he said, I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” GENESIS 3:16)
Or have we thought of how she managed through the first months of being a mom without her own mother to take care of her as she recovers from childbirth and give her advice about the baby. Eve also did not have a pediatrician who could assure her about her baby’s health status and milestones, and books that could serve as a guide in rearing her newborn. Of course, she also had no friends who would listen to her, cheer her on and like her posts and pictures of her new baby.
All the above-mentioned things Eve went without, and what she had was possibly the guilt that came with her failure to abide by the Lord. Yes, that costly mistake that marred her reputation, and resulted in their getting banished from the Garden of Eden.
Through it all though, Eve still lived God’s purpose for her life of being the Mother of all that lived. She and her husband may have been punished, but the Lord still provided for their needs and that had been enough for her to live His will for her life. (“And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them” Genesis 3:21).
Let us take a cue from her as she rose from the motherhood challenges that came her way. We should try to be grateful for what we have during our childbearing years. Whether it be meddling but well meaning in laws, nosy relatives, battery of check-ups and tests for the baby, because all these are meant to help us become the moms God ordained us to be. (Psalm 139:14: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”)
We should remind ourselves that we can rise up from whatever life failure because we have a Heavenly Father who forgives and promises to help us raise our children. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” ISAIAH 40:11
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Genesis 3 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: How can Eve’s experience inspire you to become the godly mother God wants you to be?
Conversation with the Lord: Dear Lord, thank you for being the merciful and generous Father that you are. Teach me to learn from Eve’s example of motherhood, so that I could work with the resources that I have, complain less, and appreciate the value of the people you surround me with. Amen.
