Bobservations Column
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz
Happy Mother's Day!
After Eve, the second mother we meet in the Old Testament is Noah’s wife. Only four verses in Genesis 7 and 8 mention her at all, and never by name. What little we know about Mrs. Noah is testimony of her willingness to let Noah be the head of the house. Their household must have been orderly, because in Genesis 6:8, the Bible tells us that in spite of so much corruption and disobedience in the world, “… Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
There are dozens of other mothers in
the Bible, from Eve, to several Mary’s in the New Testament. Was the
woman in Proverbs 31 modeled after Mrs. Noah’s example? Her husband
certainly would have been known in the gates of the city, for Noah’s
reputation was probably well known throughout the land. He was that
eccentric guy who was building a boat so big that it could only be
described as “overkill.” Yet the mother of his sons toiled quietly in
the background, supporting her husband in the work God called him to do.
In the midst of the work, their three
sons, and their wives, joined them in the effort. Shem, Ham, and Japeth
must have been taught well in the fear of the Lord. Though perfection
escaped them all, humbly working in their calling was reason enough for
God’s grace to be bestowed on them in the time of rain. During the great
flood, it was only this family of eight that survived.
The fear of the Lord, coupled with
obedience and humility will always be what lifts us up before God’s
throne to find grace to help in time of need. In the case of Noah’s
family, it lifted them up above the total devastation and annihilation
of the human race.
Maybe you know of a family that is
struggling in their relationships with one another, or in any other
relationship for that matter. We are to remember that “pride goeth
before a fall” and “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the
humble.” The mothers that do well, are of that precise mindset;
Obedience to God, respect towards their husband, and nurturing love
towards her children, for God has established order.
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due time”
1 Peter 5:6
that He may exalt you in due time”
1 Peter 5:6
